2024 Solar Incentives Guide for New Port Richey, FL - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in New Port Richey.
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 New Port Richey?
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 encourage homeowners to switch to renewable energy by offering financial incentives meant to lower the burden of solar panel installation and use. Different kinds of incentives, such as cash back, discounts or monthly utility bill credits, might be available to you. Some incentives may be handled by the Florida government, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while others are federal. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund credited to your account after you've paid for your solar system. Rebates may be offered by your local utility company, your state or your county. The cash back that you get from the rebates is normally applied before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much income tax you owe the federal government.
- Net Metering: Make sure you talk with your New Port Richey utility company about signing a net metering contract. This will allow you to get a credit towards your monthly utility bill 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.
- Tax Exemptions: These can come in the form of property tax exemptions, which allow you to ignore the value added by your solar panels when calculating the taxes you pay on your home. 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 thinking about solar incentives, you likely think of federal incentives first. The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, is likely the most commonly known federal solar incentive. The ITC allows you to claim a tax credit for a specific percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC can be applied to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006, and allows you to deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, labor, accessories and equipment. This credit can apply towards solar panels 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 certain projects may qualify for only 26%, depending on the details. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
To know exactly how much the ITC could save you, talk to your local New Port Richey solar panel installation expert.
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. For solar systems installed between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2032, homeowners can apply for a credit equal to 30% of the total cost. This percentage will decrease annually after 2032 until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. Beginning in 2023, it will also be easier to qualify for credits for energy storage systems under the new laws.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local New Port Richey solar panel installers are the best people to answer your questions about the new Clean Energy Credit and how it applies to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be provided at the state and local level. Similar to federal incentives, these may include rebates, tax credits and more. These solar incentives — which may be provided by the state of Florida, or by your county or municipality — may be offered for only a limited time, or on an ongoing basis.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in New Port Richey
Nationwide solar energy use has gone up tremendously in the past 15 years, in part due to the growth in the number of solar incentives. You might receive these incentives from the federal government, the Florida government or your local utility company. Talking to your local New Port Richey solar panel installer is an excellent first step towards making sure you get all the incentives you qualify for when you switch to solar energy.
EcoWatch's New Port Richey, FL Solar Incentives FAQs
How can I learn if I qualify for solar incentives?
Typically, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar panel system
- installed on a property that you own
- within the U.S.
- within the date range specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including those given out by the Florida government or by your county/municipality, could have additional qualifications. Speak with your local New Port Richey 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 system was installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. If your system was installed between 2006 and 2021, you may qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the year it was installed. Reaching out to the company that installed your solar system, or any local New Port Richey solar installer, can help you learn what incentives you might want to apply for.
What are some environmental benefits of installing solar panels on my home?
Solar energy is renewable — by changing where you get your energy, you can help lessen the strain on our planet's resources. A solar system can also reduce the CO2 emissions from your home by 100 pounds a year, or around 2,000 pounds in 20 years.
Can I use solar and another type of renewable energy in combination to power my home?
Yes, you can employ multiple types of renewable energy to power your home, such as a combination of geothermal and solar. You can also use both renewable energy sources and a backup source of non-renewable energy. Be sure to discuss your proposed plan with your local New Port Richey solar installation expert, so that you understand what you'll need and what types of incentives you may or may not qualify for.
What if I want to add a solar system to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property? Do I still qualify for incentives?
Many solar incentives apply to a property located within the United States that you own; most secondary residences will fall under this distinction. There may be other solar incentives available for commercial properties, depending on the details. We recommend getting in touch with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to better understand what incentives may 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.