2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Lone Tree, CO - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Lone Tree.
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.
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Lone Tree?
Property Tax Exemption for Residential Renewable Energy Equipment
Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy Equipment
Eagle County - Energy Smart Colorado Renewable Energy Rebate Program
PV: 50% up to $500
Solar Thermal: 50% of project costs
Commercial
50% of project costs
City of Boulder - Solar Sales and Use Tax Rebate
Roaring Fork Valley - Energy Smart Colorado Renewable Energy Rebate Program
Solar Water Heat: $25% of cost
Solar Thermal Tune-up: 25% of project cost
Micro-hydro and Geothermal: 25% of cost
Property Tax Exemption for Community Solar Gardens
Xcel Energy - Solar*Rewards Program
Medium-sized Systems 25.1-500 kW: $0.0375/kWh
Large Systems (>500kW): Determined through competitive bid
Local Option - Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy Systems
Local Option - Property Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy Systems
Efficiency Works - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program (Offered by 4 Utilities)
Insulation: Up to $1,815
Duct Sealing: $200 (gas-heated homes only)
Window Replacement: Up to $1,000
Air Handler Blower Motor: $150
Whole House Mechanical Ventilation: 20% of cost
Heat Pumps: $500
Replacement Furnace: $300-$500 (gas-heated homes only)
Ductless Mini-Split: $250/head
Replacement Gas Boiler: $300 (gas-heated homes only)
Replacement Water Heater: $100-$500
AC System: $150-$500
Whole House Fan: $275
Evaporative Cooler: $500
Xcel Energy - Residential Energy Efficiency Financing
Xcel Energy - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Programs
Natural Gas Furnace: $300
EC Motor in New or Existing Furnace: $100
Air Conditioning/Air Source Heat Pump: $300-$600
Mini-Split Heat Pump: $300
Water Heater: $70-$450
Evaporative Cooling: $200-$1,200
Attic Insulation: $350-$600
Wall Insulation: $350-$600
Air Sealing, bypass sealing, and weather-stripping: $175-$450
Ground Source Heat Pump: $300/ton
Smart Thermostat: $50
Xcel Energy - Home Performance with ENERGY STAR
Air Sealing/Bypass Sealing/Weather-Stripping: $250-$550
High Efficiency Lighting: 30% of cost
Wall Insulation: $450-$700
Evaporative Cooling System: $325-$1200
Central Air Conditioner (New): $400 - $700
Central Air Conditioner (Trade In): $550
Ground Source/Geothermal Heat Pump: $300 per ton
Electric Heat Pump Water Heater: $550
Programmable Thermostat: $25
High Efficiency Furnace: $400
Electrically Commuted Motor: $125
Tankless Water Heater: $200
Standard Tank Water Heater: $100
ENERGY STAR Refrigerator: $15
ENERGY STAR Clothes Washer: $30
Residential Energy Upgrade (RENU) Loan Program
Green Colorado Credit Reserve
Xcel Energy - Solar*Rewards Community Program
Determined through competitive bid. RFP released on March 3, 2016
Eagle, Garfield, Gunnison, Lake, and Pitkin Counties - Energy Smart Colorado Loan Program
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are designed to make renewable energy usage more affordable via financial incentives for those who install solar panels on their homes. You might be eligible for different kinds of incentives, including discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill, depending on your situation. Some incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the Colorado government and others from the federal government. Categories of solar incentives include:
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panel system may qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions come into effect at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions allow you to exclude the added value of the solar panels when you are calculating property taxes on your home.
- Net Metering: Net metering becomes relevant once your solar panels are up and running. If you have in place a net metering agreement with your Lone Tree utility company, it will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your monthly utility bill. In some places, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in others you might get refunded a percentage of the value.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits decrease, dollar-for-dollar, the total amount of tax you owe the federal government. These are different from tax deductions.
- Rebates: Rebates, or cash back after a purchase, are normally given prior to any solar tax credits being calculated. Solar rebates may be offered by your local utility company, by your state or by your county.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries
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
Federal incentives are the type of incentives that you are most likely to have heard of. The solar incentive that you're most familiar with is probably the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which gives you a credit on your taxes equal to a predetermined percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC can be credited towards the value of a solar system installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar system has to have been installed after January 1, 2006, on a property you own for you to claim the credit. The ITC originally paid out 30% of all system costs (panels, accessories, equipment and labor), although this amount has fluctuated slightly over time between 26-30%. The amount you qualify for will depend on when your solar system was installed. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.
Talking to your local Lone Tree solar panel installer is the best way to understand how the ITC may apply to you.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, expanded and extended 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 be reduced slightly each year until the end of the program in 2035. The program expansion also makes it easier to get credit for energy storage systems, starting in 2023.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Lone Tree solar panel company is the best resource for answering your questions about the new Clean Energy Credit and how it will apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also provided at the state and local level. Like with federal incentives, these could include rebates, tax credits and more. Incentives might be offered by your county or municipality, or by the state of Colorado. Some incentives might only be available for a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Lone Tree
You can apply for and receive solar incentives from the Colorado government and the federal government, as well as from your local utility company. Growing availability of solar initiatives in the past 15 years has helped increase solar adoption nationwide. If you're prepared to make the change to solar energy, talking to your local Lone Tree solar panel installation expert is an excellent place to start.
EcoWatch's Lone Tree, CO Solar Incentives FAQs
How do I know if I qualify for solar incentives?
Broadly, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar system
- installed on property you own
- within the U.S.
- between the dates specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including those given out by the Colorado government or by your county/municipality, could have additional qualifications. Get in touch with your local Lone Tree solar installer to discover what incentives your project may qualify for.
If I installed solar panels on my house a few years ago, 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 exact installation date. Speaking with the company that installed your solar system, or any local Lone Tree solar installer, can help you understand what incentives you might want to apply for.
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar?
Solar energy is a renewable energy source — by changing where you get your energy, you can help reduce the strain on our planet's resources. Solar panels can also reduce your home's CO2 emissions by 500 pounds annually, or roughly 11,000 pounds over 20 years.
If I trade in my appliances for ones that can utilize solar energy, are there benefits I can claim?
The new Inflation Reduction Act creates a number of new financial incentives that are available when you make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details regarding these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
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.