2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Cutler Bay, FL - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Cutler Bay.
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 Cutler Bay?
Property Tax Abatement for Renewable Energy Property
Non-Residential: 80% of the added value
Florida PACE programs
Lakeland Electric - Residential Energy Efficiency Loan Program
Florida Keys Electric Cooperative - Residential Rebate Program
Ductless Mini Split A/C: 30%
Room A/C: 30 %
Solar Water Heating: 30%
Insulation: 30%
Window Film/Solar Screen: 100%
Caulk/Weather-Stripping: 100%
Cool/Reflective Roof Coating: $25 per 5 gallon bucket
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
The term "solar incentives" covers a wide range of financial incentives designed to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. Solar incentives may include cash back, upfront discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are provided by the federal government, some by the Florida government and some by your utility company, county or municipality. Categories of solar incentives include:
- Net Metering: You may be able to sign a net metering agreement with your Cutler Bay utility company. This agreement may apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity that is generated by your solar panels. Your utility company will then subtract this value from your utility bill each month.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the government. (This is different from a tax deduction.)
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund given after you've purchased your solar panels. These could be offered by your local utility company, your state or your county. The rebates are usually applied before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Exemptions: These might come in the form of property tax exemptions, which let you exclude the value of your solar system when paying property tax on your house. You could also look for exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries
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 you think about solar incentives, you probably think of federal incentives first. The solar incentive that you're most likely to have heard of is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which gives you a credit on your taxes equal to a predetermined percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC applies to the total cost of installing solar panels, including the panels themselves as well as accessories, labor and equipment. You can claim this credit 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.
Have questions about how the ITC applies to your specific situation? Get in touch with your local Cutler Bay solar panel installer to get more information.
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. Homeowners can now receive a credit equal to 30% of the total costs of solar system installation for projects that began after January 1, 2022, and will be finished by the end of 2032. The percentage will then begin to decrease yearly until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Cutler Bay solar panel company is the best resource for answering your questions regarding the new Clean Energy Credit and how it will apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are not your only option; rebates, tax credits and more are often offered at the state and local level. Certain incentives are offered for only a limited time, while others are ongoing. These local incentives might come from your county or municipality, or from the Florida government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Cutler Bay
Solar incentives might come from the federal government, the Florida government or your local utility company. The variety of solar incentives available has contributed to a large increase in solar energy use in the last 15 years. We suggest talking to your local Cutler Bay solar installation expert to learn more about these incentives and to be sure that you're getting the most money possible for your solar panels.
EcoWatch's Cutler Bay, FL Solar Incentives FAQs
My home already has solar panels installed. Does my system qualify for any incentives?
An excellent idea would be to talk to someone from the company that installed your solar panels – or reach out to a local Cutler Bay solar installer — to clarify which incentives you might qualify for. If your system was installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
If I switch my appliances out for ones that utilize solar energy, are there any incentives that I can claim?
The new Inflation Reduction Act creates several new financial incentives that are available when you make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details about these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I receive incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order in which incentives are applied may vary depending on which incentives you are eligible for but generally yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Check with your solar installer or a local tax professional to make sure you are claiming all the incentives you're eligible for and applying them in the correct order.
Can I receive any incentives when I add solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property?
Many solar incentives apply to a property located within the United States that you own, and most secondary residences fall under this distinction. Other solar incentives may be available for commercial properties, depending on the specifics. We recommend getting in touch with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what incentives will apply to your specific situation.
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.