2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Bear, DE - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Bear.
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.
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Updated May 04, 2023
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Bear?
Delmarva Power - Green Energy Program Incentives
Residential: $0.70/W
Residenital Leased/PPA systems: Not eligible
Non-Residential (systems less than 6 kW): $0.50/W
Non-Residential (systems 6 kW or larger): $0.70/W
Non-Profit: $1.40/W
Wind
Residential: $0.85/W for first 5 kW, $0.25/W up to 50 kW
Non-Residential: $0.85/W for first 5 kW, $0.25/W up to 50 kW
Non-Profit: $1.75/W for first 5 kW, $1.00/W up to 50 kW
Solar Water Heating (SWH)
Residential: $1/kWh saved
Non-Residential: $1/kWh saved
Non-Profit: $2/kWh saved
GeoThermal Heat Pumps
Residential: $800/ton (first 2 tons), $700/ton (over 2 tons)
Non-Residential: $800/ton (first 2 tons), $700/ton (over 2 tons)
Non-Profit: $1,000/ton (first 2 tons), $800/ton (over 2 tons)
SREC Procurement Program
Sustainable Electric Utility (SEU)- SREC Purchase Program
Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) Spot Market Program
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are intended to make renewable energy usage more affordable through financial incentives to help people install solar panels on their homes. Various kinds of incentives, including discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits, might be available to you. Certain incentives may be offered by the state of Delaware, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while other incentives are federal. Categories of solar incentives include:
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund given after you've purchased your solar system. These could be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The rebates are usually applied before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits lower, dollar-for-dollar, how much income tax you owe the federal government. Tax credits differ from tax deductions.
- Net Metering: Make sure you speak with your Bear utility company about signing a net metering agreement. This allows you to receive credit towards your utility bill every month for the value of excess energy generated by your solar panels. You may receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar performance-based incentives are normally handled at the state level. Once your solar system meets a predetermined threshold (typically a small amount of energy production), you can receive SRECs that you can then sell to your utility company or other buyers. The money you make from the sale is generally considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Exemptions: These may come in the form of property tax exemptions, which let you ignore the value of your solar system when paying taxes on your house. You may also qualify for an exemption on sales tax at the time of purchase.
Federal Solar Incentives
When thinking about solar incentives, you likely think of federal incentives first. It's likely that you've heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This incentive is a tax credit equal to a certain percentage of the money you spend on your solar system.
The ITC can be applied to a solar system installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar system has to have been installed on a property you own after January 1, 2006 for you to claim the credit. Initially, the ITC applied to 30% of all system costs (panels, equipment, accessories and labor), although the amount has fluctuated over the last few years between 26-30%. The installation date of your solar system will determine what percentage you are eligible for. There is no cap on the claim amount.
Your local Bear solar panel installation expert can give you more information about the ITC and how it might apply to your situation.
The ITC was both renewed and expanded by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. It's also now called the Clean Energy Credit. Under the new program, solar installation projects started after January 1, 2022 and completed by the end of 2032 can qualify for a 30% tax credit. This percentage will then decrease slightly each year until the current Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. The expansion also makes claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before, starting in 2023.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. The best way to fully understand how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you is to speak with your local Bear solar panel company directly.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Tax credits, rebates and more might be claimed at multiple levels. Along with federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones as well. Incentives might be provided by the state of Delaware, or by your county or municipality. Some incentives are available for only a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Bear
Solar incentives might be provided by the Delaware government, the federal government or your local utility company. The variety of solar incentives available has helped nationwide use of solar energy increase greatly in the last 15 years. Speak with your local solar panel installation company today to discover more about the various programs and to save as much money as possible on solar panels for your Bear home.
Solar Veteran
Trinity Solar
- Many financing options
- Family-owned and -operated
- Makes charitable contributions
- Limited service area
- Relatively short workmanship warranty
Best Technology
Tesla Energy
- Price-match guarantee
- Sleek, efficient, and durable solar panels
- Best solar battery on the market
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Customer service varies by local dealer
EcoWatch's Bear, DE Solar Incentives FAQs
How can I learn if I qualify for solar incentives?
It's a smart idea to get in touch with your local Bear solar installer to get an understanding of which incentives your project will qualify for. In most cases, solar incentives apply to new solar systems installed on a property you own (in the U.S.) between the dates specified by the incentive. Some incentives, such as those provided by the Delaware government, might have additional requirements.
I already have solar panels installed. Are there any incentives that I qualify for?
If your solar system was installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. If you installed your system between 2006 and 2021, you may qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the exact installation date. Speaking with a representative from the company that installed your solar system, or any local Bear solar installer, can help you learn what incentives you qualify for.
What are the environmental benefits of switching to solar?
You can reduce your carbon footprint by 300 pounds of CO2 annually when you install solar panels. This adds up to approximately 6,000 pounds over 20 years. In addition, solar power is a renewable energy source, which means that making the switch lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
I want to switch my appliances out for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any incentives I can claim?
The new Inflation Reduction Act provides multiple incentives designed to reward homeowners for making eco-friendly upgrades. Some incentives include tax credits and rebates for installing new electric appliances. You can find more details about these incentives here.
Can I claim incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order your incentives will be applied in could vary depending on which incentives you are claiming but in most cases yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Get in touch with your solar installer or a local tax professional to make sure you are claiming all of 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.