2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Victorville, CA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Victorville.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2023 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 Victorville solar installers to see how much you can save.
Please enter a valid 5-digit zip code!
Updated September 15, 2023
Why you can trust EcoWatch
What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Victorville?
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 property The 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 are meant to help mitigate the cost of installing a solar panel system on your home. Financial incentives like these are designed to encourage more people to switch their home over to renewable energy. Incentives can include things like discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits. Some incentives are provided by the federal government, while others are offered by the California government or by your specific utility company, county or municipality. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Tax Exemptions: These could come in the form of property tax exemptions, which let you ignore the value of your solar system when paying taxes on your home. They may also include exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): In general, solar systems that produce over a specific (usually small) amount of electricity will qualify for SRECs or other similar performance-based incentives. SRECs and the like are typically provided at the state level. SRECs can be sold to your utility company or another buyer, and the money you receive is normally considered part of your taxable income.
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund given after you've purchased your solar system. These may be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The discount that rebates offer is normally applied to the price of solar panels before calculating tax credits.
- Net Metering: Net metering factors in after your solar system is up and running. If you have a net metering agreement with your Victorville utility company, the company will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your utility bill each month. In some places, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in other places you may receive a refund equivalent to a percentage of the value.
- Tax Credits: Unlike tax deductions, tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax that you owe the government.
Best Regional Coverage
Momentum Solar
- Great warranty coverage
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- Concierge service ensures steady communication
- Slightly limited service offerings
Federal Solar Incentives
When someone says "solar incentives," you probably 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). The ITC is a tax credit for a given percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC can be applied to the total cost of installing solar panels, including the panels themselves as well as labor, equipment and accessories. This credit can be claimed for panels installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence that you own and that is located in the United States. From its original value of 30% of the total cost, the credit has fluctuated slightly between 26-30%, and you may qualify for varying percentages depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
To better understand exactly how much the ITC could save you, speak with your local Victorville solar panel installer.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, added more provisions to the ITC (as well as retitling it the Clean Energy Credit). The Clean Energy Credit re-raises the credit up to 30% for solar systems installed between 2022 and 2032. After 2032, the percentage will decrease slightly each year until the program expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. To best understand how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you, speak with your local Victorville solar installation expert.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be offered at the local or state level. Similar to federal incentives, these can include rebates, tax credits and more. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others may only be available for a limited time. Solar incentives might be given by the California government, or by your county or municipality.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Victorville
The expanding number of available solar incentives has helped tremendously increase the nationwide adoption of solar energy over the last 15 years. You can get solar incentives from the California government, the federal government or your local utility company. Your local Victorville solar panel installer can provide you with more details about which incentives you should apply for, and get you started on the path to switching to renewable energy today.
EcoWatch's Victorville, CA Solar Incentives FAQs
How much will solar panels save me on my electric bill in Victorville annually?
Once you add solar panels to your house in Victorville, you can anticipate savings of approximately $1,307.60 per year, or approximately $24,844.33 over 20 years.
What are the best solar panel installation companies near me?
To learn about the top solar panel installation companies near you, take a look at our article on Victorville's top solar panel companies.
What are some environmental benefits of installing solar panels on my home?
You can decrease your carbon footprint by 250 pounds of CO2 a year when you install solar panels. This adds up to around 5,000 pounds in 20 years. In addition, solar power is a renewable energy source, meaning that switching your home over lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
If I switch my appliances out for ones that can use solar energy, are there any incentives that I can claim?
The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act includes provisions for several incentives that reward homeowners who make eco-friendly upgrades. Some of these incentives include tax credits and rebates for installing new electric appliances. You can find more details about these incentives here.
Can I qualify for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order your incentives will be applied in might vary depending on which incentives you are claiming but in most cases yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Speak to your solar installer or a local tax professional to be sure you are claiming all the incentives you are eligible 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.