2025 Solar Incentives Guide for Riviera Beach, FL - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Riviera Beach.
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 Riviera Beach?
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/
The phrase "solar incentives" generally refers to financial incentives designed to encourage people to use renewable energy by making the installation and use of solar panels more affordable. Various kinds of incentives, including cash back, discounts or monthly utility bill credits, might be available to you. Some incentives may be offered by the state of Florida, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while other incentives are federal. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Rebates: Rebates, or cash back after a purchase, are usually applied prior to any solar tax credits being calculated. These rebates may be given by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panels might qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions come into effect at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you ignore the value added by your solar panels when you are calculating property taxes on your home.
- Tax Credits: Unlike tax deductions, tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government.
- Net Metering: Net metering factors in once your solar panels are up and running. If you have a net metering agreement in place with your Riviera Beach utility company, they will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your utility bill each month. In some places, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in other places you may receive a refund equivalent to a percentage of the value.
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 provides a credit on your taxes equal to a percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC originally covered 30% of the total cost of solar system installation, although that number has fluctuated slightly over the years between 26-30%. The percentage you qualify for will depend on when your solar system was installed. The total installation cost includes the panels themselves as well as the cost of equipment, accessories and labor. There is no maximum claim amount. The ITC applies to solar panels installed after January 1, 2006, on your primary or secondary residence. The residence must be in the United States and owned by you.
Talking to your local Riviera Beach solar panel installer is the best way to understand how the ITC may apply to your situation.
In August 2022, the ITC (now referred to as the Clean Energy Credit) was expanded and extended by the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act. 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 be reduced slightly each year until the end of the program in 2035. The expansion to the program also makes credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim, starting in 2023.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. The best way to understand how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you is to reach out to your local Riviera Beach solar panel installers with your questions.
State & Local Solar Incentives
In addition to those provided at the federal level, there are often also state solar incentives. Tax credits, rebates and more can be offered at a more local level. The incentives — which might be given by the state of Florida, or by your county or municipality — might be offered for only a limited time, or on an ongoing basis.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Riviera Beach
The nationwide use of solar energy has increased enormously in the last 15 years, in part thanks to the growth in the number of solar incentives. You can obtain these incentives from your local utility company, the federal government or the Florida government. When you're prepared to make the switch to solar energy, talking to your local Riviera Beach solar panel installation expert is an excellent place to start.
EcoWatch's Riviera Beach, 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.
- between the dates specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including those given out by the Florida government or by your county/municipality, sometimes have additional qualifications. Talk to your local Riviera Beach solar installer to discover what incentives your project will qualify for.
If I switch my appliances out for ones that can utilize solar energy, are there incentives I can claim?
Under the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are several new financial incentives for making eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details regarding these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I claim incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order that incentives will be applied in could vary depending on which incentives you are eligible for but in most cases yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Talk with your solar installer or a local tax professional to verify you are claiming all the incentives you're eligible for and applying them in the correct order.
Can I claim incentives for adding solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property?
While we recommend speaking with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to better understand what solar incentives apply to you, many apply to a second home, as long as it is in the United States and owned by you. There may be other incentives available specifically for commercial properties, depending on the details.
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