2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Poway, CA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Poway.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2024 and beyond)
- Ways to optimize your solar investment
Solar installers are experts in maximizing your solar tax credits and rebates.
Get a free quote from one of our trusted Poway solar installers to see how much you can save.
Please enter a valid 5-digit zip code!
Why you can trust EcoWatch
What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Poway?
Property Tax Exclusion for Solar Energy Systems and Solar Plus Storage System
Western Riverside Council of Governments - Home Energy Renovation Opportunity (HERO) Financing Program
Minimum financing: $5,000
The financing may not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the market value of the property, up to the first seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) of the property’s market value, and ten percent (10%) of the remaining value of the Property above seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) minus any PACE assessment on the propertyThe total amount of any annual property taxes and assessments shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the property's fair market value, determined at the time program financing is approved.
Local Option - Municipal Energy Districts
Self-Generation Incentive Program
Incentives will step down over time. See below for incentive amounts.
Renewable Market Adjusting Tariff (ReMAT)
LADWP - Feed-in Tariff (FiT) Program
Base price will step down over time as certain MW goals are met
California Solar Initiative - Solar Thermal Program
Single Family Residential Incentives:
Systems that displace natural gas: $29.85 per estimated therm displaced
Systems that displace electricity or propane: Funding has been exhausted
Commercial/Multifamily Incentives:
Systems that displace natural gas: $20.19 per estimated therm displaced
Systems that displace electricity or propane: $0.42 per estimated kWh displaced *** Note, funding has been exhausted in this category for SCE and PG&E
Solar Pool heating: $5.00 per estimated therm displaced
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives mitigate the cost of installing solar panels on your home. This category of financial incentives is in place to encourage more Americans to switch their home over to renewable energy. Incentives could include things like discounts, cash back or credit on your utility bill each month. Some incentives are offered by the federal government, while others are provided by the California government or your utility company, county or municipality. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government. (A tax credit is different from a tax deduction.)
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions go into effect at the time of purchase for your solar panels. Property tax exemptions let you ignore the added value of your solar system when calculating how much property tax you need to pay on your home.
- Net Metering: Net metering factors in once your solar system is up and running. If you've signed a net metering agreement with your Poway utility company, they will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your monthly utility bill. In some locations, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in others you might receive a refund equivalent to a percentage of the value.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and other similar performance-based incentives are typically handled at the state level. Once your solar panel system meets the threshold (usually a small amount of energy production), you are eligible to receive SRECs that you can then sell to your utility company or other buyers. The money you receive from the sale is usually considered part of your taxable income.
- Rebates: Rebates, or cash back after a purchase, are typically applied prior to any solar tax credits being calculated. Solar rebates might be provided by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
Best Regional Coverage
Momentum Solar
- Great warranty coverage
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- Concierge service ensures steady communication
- Slightly limited service offerings
Best for Leasing
Sunrun
- Expansive service area
- Many financing options
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Some reported issues with door-to-door sales
Federal Solar Incentives
When thinking about solar incentives, you likely think of federal incentives first. One of the incentives many people are likely to be familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This is a tax credit for a predetermined percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC can be applied to the total cost of solar panel installation, including the panels themselves as well as labor, accessories and equipment. This credit can be claimed for panels installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence located in the United States that you own. Originally set at 30% of total costs, the credit has fluctuated over time, and you may qualify for different amounts depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
To best understand how the ITC may apply to you, contact your local Poway solar panel installation expert and request more information.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, expanded and extended the ITC (as well as retitling it the Clean Energy Credit). With the new provisions, solar installation projects begun after January 1, 2022, and finished by December 31, 2032, may be eligible for a 30% tax credit. This credit amount will then see a slight annual decrease until the current Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. The expansion to the program also makes it easier to get credit for energy storage systems, beginning in 2023.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. Your local Poway solar panel installation experts can answer any questions you have and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
There are often also state solar incentives in addition to those provided by the federal government. Rebates, tax credits and more may be available at a more local level. The incentives — which might be provided by your county or municipality, or by the state of California — may be offered on an ongoing basis, or for only a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Poway
The large number of available solar incentives has helped tremendously increase the adoption of solar energy nationwide over the last 15 years. You might qualify for solar incentives from the California government, the federal government or your local utility company. We recommend talking to your local Poway solar installation expert to learn more about these incentives and to ensure that you're getting the largest number possible for your solar panels.
EcoWatch's Poway, CA Solar Incentives FAQs
How do I know if I qualify for certain solar incentives?
It's best to speak with your local Poway solar installer for a better understanding of which incentives your project will qualify for. Usually, solar incentives apply to new solar panel systems installed on a property you own (in the U.S.) between the dates specified by the incentive. Some incentives, such as those offered by the government of California, may have other requirements.
If I already have solar panels, can I still claim incentives?
If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. If you had your system installed between 2006 and 2021, you may qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the date of installation. Speaking with a representative from the company that installed your system, or any local Poway solar installer, can help you understand what incentives you qualify for.
What are some environmental benefits of installing solar panels on my house?
You can decrease your carbon footprint by 250 pounds of CO2 a year when you install solar panels. This adds up to roughly 5,000 pounds over 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, which means that switching your home over reduces the drain on our planet's resources.
Can I claim incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order in which incentives are applied might vary depending on which incentives you are eligible for but generally yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Talk with your solar installer or a local tax professional to ensure you are claiming all the incentives you qualify for and applying them in the correct order.
Our goal is to reach as many people as we can with sensible solutions like solar energy. Our team of full-time local researchers collects solar price and installation data for every city in America then compiles it to create these digestible city guides. If you want to read our solar expert's opinion on the top solar companies featured here, follow this link.
Solar incentive research was conducted by Melissa Smith and Karsten Neumeister. Local data analysis was conducted by James Savino. See something we missed or could do better? Email the editor.