2022 Georgia Solar Tax Credits, Rebates & Other Incentives
Here’s a quick look at the solar incentives in Georgia:
- Federal Solar Tax Credit (ITC)
- Additional City & Utility Rebates
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Our solar experts have sifted through hundreds of local governments’ and utility companies’ websites to find accurate information about current solar incentives in each state. We’ve also unbiasedly ranked and reviewed hundreds of solar installers to empower you to make the right choice for your home.
How Much Can You Save With Solar Incentives in Georgia?
In this article, we’ll discuss the solar incentives and rebates available to Georgia homeowners. When you’re ready to speak with a qualified professional, follow the links below. Each of these companies can help you identify and apply for incentives available in Georgia.
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Despite the fact that most solar panel systems pay for themselves over time, the upfront cost is often something homeowners struggle to justify. There are only a few solar rebates and incentives that Georgia residents can take advantage of, and in this article, we’ll explain each.
Georgia homeowners pay well below the average per-watt cost for their solar systems, with most setups totaling around $2.55 per watt. The typical home in GA requires a system that is at least 11 kilowatts, meaning the typical total for going solar in Georgia is $28,050. We’ll discuss the solar incentives afforded to Georgians and how each can reduce your upfront costs or improve your return on investment.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It should not be relied on for and is not intended to provide accounting, legal or tax advice.
Current Solar Rebates, Tax Credits and Incentive Programs in Georgia
The table below provides a brief overview of the two types of solar incentives you’ll find in Georgia. We’ll include some brief information here and go further in-depth later on in this article.
| Georgia Solar Incentive | Description |
| Federal Solar Tax Credit (ITC) | The federal solar tax credit is made available to all Georgia homeowners by the federal government. It gets credited to your federal income tax liability, and the total credit is 26% of your entire solar system cost for systems installed in 2022.1 Georgia homeowners pay an average of $28,050 to go solar, which means the typical federal solar credit will be $7,293. The credit can be rolled over from year to year if your tax liability isn’t that high. |
| City & Utility Rebates | Although the solar incentives in Georgia are few and far between, some municipalities and local utility companies do provide rebate programs for solar equipment and other energy-efficiency upgrades. The rebates for which you’re eligible will depend on your electricity provider and location within Georgia. We’ll discuss the opportunities available throughout the state below. |
Georgia Solar Incentives
Many states provide a state solar incentive to complement the federal solar tax incentive, but Georgia does not. Unfortunately, Georgia is one of the few states that does not have a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) goal.2 As a result, there is no state tax incentive and very few solar incentives all around. Instead, Georgia is a proponent of natural gas as its primary energy source, so residents won’t have too many solar incentives available to them.
Thankfully, the state receives an abundance of sunlight and provides some residents with net metering, so an investment in a solar power system is often a worthwhile one that can save money and reduce a homeowner’s carbon footprint. Beyond net metering and the federal tax credit, there are no statewide incentives for going solar.
Georgia Sales Tax & Property Tax Exemptions
Many states provide a sales tax exemption for solar equipment to reduce the upfront costs of going solar. Unfortunately, Georgia does not have such an exemption, so you will have to pay sales tax on your equipment and the installation services.
Additionally, some states offer a property tax exemption on solar equipment to prevent your property taxes from going up in response to solar conversion. Under normal circumstances, any bump in your property value also makes your assessed value go up, which affects your property taxes. Although solar panels boost your home value, a property tax exemption prevents that added value from being taxed. Unfortunately, Georgia does not have a property tax exemption, so your property taxes will go up after you install solar panels.
Net Metering in Georgia
Net metering is a billing policy that allows solar customers to offset their energy costs or even eliminate electric bills altogether. Interconnection allows energy to pass in both directions between the power grid and your home. This means you can pull electricity from the grid when your panels fail to produce the power you need — a common occurrence at night or on cloudy days — and pass excess power generation to the grid when you produce more than you’re using. A net metering program states how you’ll be compensated for the energy you send, but charges per kilowatt-hour are typically deducted from your charges for the income electricity.
Unfortunately, net metering is not mandated by the Georgia Public Service Commission, so each public utility company can choose to offer it or not. Your access to net metering will depend on your electric company.
For example, Georgia Power has a solar buyback program, but the funds were capped and met in 2021. The program could open up again to entice solar conversion, but there’s no guarantee. It’s best to check with your local utility company to see if net metering is available and how you’d be compensated for excess energy production if you do participate.
Local Incentives
Although there are almost no statewide solar energy system incentives available in Georgia, there are some local benefits provided by utility companies.
For example, customers of Jackson EMC can take advantage of the Solar Power Rebate Program, which provides a $250 rebate for every kilowatt installed on your home. Eligibility is contingent on passing inspections and proper permitting. For most Georgians, an 11-kilowatt system is required to offset energy needs. While this would equate to a $2,750 rebate, Jackson EMC caps the rebate at $2,500. As such, most Jackson EMC customers will qualify for the full $2,500 rebate on solar panel installations.
Additionally, Jackson EMC provides HomePlus Loans, which are loans designed to make energy-efficiency upgrades more affordable and more accessible to all Georgia homeowners.3 While this program doesn’t apply specifically to solar loans, it can make increasing your home’s efficiency more affordable. Qualifying customers can receive low-interest financing — at around 3% — for energy-efficiency upgrades, like heat pumps, water heaters, new insulation, air sealing services, HVAC repair and more.
Other electric companies might also provide rebates and incentives for solar customers. You can check with your utility provider or check the DSIRE database for more information before committing to solar power.4
Federal Solar Tax Credit
Given that Georgia has very few solar incentives available to homeowners, the federal solar investment tax credit (ITC) is a crucial incentive that every solar customer should take advantage of. Provided by the federal government, the ITC is a tax credit that gets applied to your federal income taxes owed for the year your solar system is installed and turned on.
In 2022, the ITC rate is a massive 26%, meaning you’ll get a tax credit for 26% of your entire cost of converting to solar energy. In Georgia, where most homeowners pay an average of $28,050, the typical credit amount is $7,293. The federal tax credit will drop to 22% of the total system cost in 2023, which means waiting a year to install solar will cause your credit to dip from $7,293 to $6,171. Unless Congress renews the bill, the ITC will no longer be available for residential customers in 2024, except for commercial solar customers, who will still be eligible for a 10% federal solar tax credit.
To get the maximum credit amount, homeowners in GA will need to install solar panels as soon as possible. Installing solar panels in 2022 is also beneficial if your federal tax liability will be less than 26% of your solar conversion cost. Georgia residents can roll over any unused tax credit to the following year.
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FAQ: Georgia Solar Incentives
Despite the fact that the rate of solar adoption in Georgia is relatively low, the EcoWatch team still regularly gets questions about the process of going solar in the Peach State. Below are the questions we see most frequently, along with our responses.
Unfortunately, Georgia does not have a state solar tax credit. This isn’t too much of a surprise, seeing as the state is heavily invested in natural gas as a primary energy source.
However, Georgia homeowners can take advantage of the federal tax credit, which is available to all taxpayers throughout the country. The federal solar investment tax credit (ITC) allows you to reduce your federal income tax liability by 26% of your total solar system cost. In Georgia, where the typical system totals $28,050, most homeowners will enjoy a credit in the amount of approximately $7,293. The ITC alone brings the effective total for solar panels down from $28,050 to $20,757.
Yes, there are some solar incentives available in Georgia in 2022, although they are few and far between. Most importantly, all homeowners installing rooftop solar systems will be eligible for the federal solar tax credit (ITC). The ITC is for 26% of your total cost of going solar, and the credit can be rolled forward to the following tax year if your income taxes don’t allow you to take the full credit the year your system is turned on. Unfortunately, the ITC will be discontinued in 2024, so all credits must be claimed in the 2022 and 2023 tax years, or they will be forfeited.
Some Georgians will also have access to net metering, although this policy isn’t mandated by the state. Eligibility is based on your utility company, as the program will be offered through your electricity provider. One of the largest power companies in GA, Georgia Power, has net metering, but the fund maximum has been met. New customers could be eligible in the future.
Your best option is to check with your local power company for a net metering policy.
Some Georgia customers can also qualify for solar financing programs that help make solar equipment and other energy-efficiency upgrades more affordable. For example, Jackson EMC customers can qualify for HomePlus loans, which provide up to $25,000 loans for clean energy equipment, air sealing and other efficiency upgrades. The financing is available at a low interest rate and often with little or no money down.
Unfortunately, there are very few rebates provided for solar conversions in Georgia, and most homeowners will not have access to any solar rebate programs. Customers of Jackson EMC can take advantage of the Solar Power Rebate Program, which delivers a rebate of $250 per kilowatt installed or $2,500, whichever is lower. Most Georgians require a system of 11 kilowatts, so the majority of homeowners who qualify will be eligible for the full $2,500 rebate.
Some other electric companies provide small rebates for energy-efficiency upgrades, like new insulation, new windows, air sealing, HVAC duct repairs and more. These upgrades aren’t solar-specific, but they can help make your home more efficient and reduce your electricity charges. Some solar companies in Georgia might be able to tackle these upgrades as well during your photovoltaic installation.
Unfortunately, yes, solar panels will increase your property taxes in Georgia. Most home improvements bump up your home value, which also causes your property taxes to go up. Since solar panels increase your property value by an average of around 4.1%, installing panels will bump up your taxes.5 Some states have a property tax exemption to stop this from happening, but Georgia does not. This is particularly important to keep in mind in higher-tax areas, like Atlanta.
