2025 Solar Incentives Guide for Fort Myers, FL - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Fort Myers.
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 Fort Myers 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 Fort Myers?
Property Tax Abatement for Renewable Energy Property
Non-Residential: 80% of the added value
Florida PACE programs
Lakeland Electric - Residential Energy Efficiency Loan Program
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives mitigate the cost of installing a solar panel system on your home. Financial incentives like these are in place to encourage more Americans to switch to renewable energy. Incentives can include things like discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are offered federally, while others are offered by the Florida government or your specific utility company, county or municipality. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Net Metering: Net metering becomes relevant once your solar panels are up and running. If you have a net metering agreement in place with your Fort Myers utility company, they will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your utility bill each month. In some areas, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in other areas you might be refunded a percentage of the value.
- Rebates: Rebates, or partial refunds after a purchase, are normally applied prior to any solar tax credits being calculated. These rebates might be provided by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
- Tax Credits: Different from tax deductions, tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government.
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions are applied at the point of sale for your solar panels. Property tax exemptions let you ignore the value added by your solar system when calculating the amount of property tax you need to pay.
Federal Solar Incentives
When people think of solar incentives, federal incentives are likely the first thing that comes to mind. It's likely that you've heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This incentive is a tax credit that reduces your taxes by a specified percentage of the money you spend on solar panels for your home.
The ITC applies towards solar systems installed after January 1, 2006, and lets you deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, labor, accessories and equipment. You can receive this credit for a solar panel system installed on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. The original claim amount was 30% of the total cost, although the amount you can claim may range between 26-30%. There is no maximum claim amount.
To better understand how the ITC may apply to your situation, get in touch with your local Fort Myers solar panel installer and ask for more information.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act made revisions to the ITC, now titled the Clean Energy Credit. The Clean Energy Credit bolsters the current credit, increasing it up to 30% for solar systems installed between 2022 and 2032. After this, the percentage will decrease slightly each year until the program expires in 2035. The expansion to the program also makes claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before, beginning in 2023.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. The easiest way to fully understand how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you is to reach out to your local Fort Myers solar panel company with your questions.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be provided by state and local governments. Similar to federal incentives, these could include tax credits, rebates and more. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others are offered for only a limited time. Your local incentives could come from your county or municipality, or from the Florida government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Fort Myers
The variety of available solar incentives has enormously increased the use of solar power nationwide over the last 15 years. You can get solar incentives from your local utility company, the Florida government or the federal government. It is a good idea to talk to your local Fort Myers solar installation expert to learn more about these incentives and to ensure that you're getting all the money you can for your solar panels.
EcoWatch's Fort Myers, FL Solar Incentives FAQs
My home already has solar panels installed. Do I qualify for any incentives?
You should plan to talk to the company that installed your solar system – or reach out to a local Fort Myers solar installer — to better understand which incentives you may qualify for. If your system was installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Solar systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
How much can I save annually on my electric bill if I install solar panels on my Fort Myers home?
Typically, homeowners in Fort Myers who install solar panels save around $1,079.96 per year, or about $20,519.21 over 20 years after they make the switch.
What are some environmental benefits of adding solar panels to my home?
You can reduce your carbon footprint by 450 pounds of CO2 a year when you install solar panels. This adds up to approximately 9,000 pounds over 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, which means that switching your home over lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
If I change out my appliances for ones that use solar energy, are there any benefits that I can claim?
The new Inflation Reduction Act provides several incentives designed to reward homeowners who make eco-friendly upgrades. Some incentives include rebates and tax credits for installing new electric appliances. You can find more details about these incentives 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.