2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Johnston, IA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Johnston.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2023 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 Johnston solar installers to see how much you can save.
Please enter a valid 5-digit zip code!
Updated September 15, 2023
Why you can trust EcoWatch
What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Johnston?
Property Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy Systems
Renewable Energy Equipment Exemption
Solar Energy Systems Tax Credit (Personal)
Local Option - Special Assessment of Wind Energy Devices
Methane Gas Conversion Property Tax Exemption
Geothermal Heat Pump Tax Credit
Energy Replacement Generation Tax Exemption
Reduced rate for large hydro
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
The phrase "solar incentives" includes a 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. The incentives may include cash back, upfront discounts or monthly credits towards your utility bill. Some incentives are handled by the federal government, some by the Iowa government and some by your specific utility company, county or municipality. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions are applied at the time of purchase for your solar system. Property tax exemptions allow you to ignore the added value of your solar system when you calculate the amount of property tax you need to pay on your home.
- Tax Credits: These credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much in taxes you owe the federal government.
- Rebates: Solar rebates can be offered by your local utility company, or by your state or county. These rebates are essentially cash back that is applied after you pay for solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Net Metering: You can sign a net metering agreement with your Johnston utility company that will apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity your solar panels generate. They will then subtract this value from your utility bill each month.
Best Technology
Tesla Energy
- Price-match guarantee
- Sleek, efficient, and durable solar panels
- Best solar battery on the market
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Customer service varies by local dealer
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the type of incentives that you are most likely to have heard of. You may have heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. The ITC is a tax credit equal to a specified percentage of the money you spend installing solar panels.
The ITC can be applied to the total cost of solar panel installation, including the panels themselves as well as equipment, labor and accessories. This credit can be claimed for panels installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence located in the United States that you own. 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 claim amount.
To find out exactly how much the ITC could save you, talk to your local Johnston solar panel installer.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, made some changes to the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). The Clean Energy Credit has increased the current credit up to 30% for solar systems installed between 2022 and 2032. After 2032, the credit percentage will decrease slightly each year until the end of the program in 2035. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. The easiest way to understand how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you is to get in touch with your local Johnston solar panel installation expert.
State & Local Solar Incentives
In addition to those provided at the federal level, there are often also state solar incentives. Rebates, tax credits and more might be available at a more local level. These solar incentives — which may be provided by your county or municipality, or by the state of Iowa — might be offered on an ongoing basis, or for only a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Johnston
There are many types of solar incentives: those offered by local utility companies, those offered by the federal government and those offered by the Iowa government, to name a few. The use of solar energy has increased tremendously in the last 15 years, partially due to these incentives. Reach out to your local solar panel installation company today to discover more about the various programs and to save as much money as possible on a solar system for your Johnston home.
EcoWatch's Johnston, IA Solar Incentives FAQs
Can I receive any incentives when I add solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property?
Many solar incentives are intended to apply to a property located within the United States that you own, and most secondary residences will fall into this category. There may be other solar incentives available for commercial properties, depending on the specifics. We recommend speaking with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to better understand what incentives may apply to your specific situation.
My home already has solar panels. Are there any incentives that I qualify for?
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 you had your system installed between 2006 and 2021, you may qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the date of installation. Reaching out to the company that installed your solar system, or any local Johnston solar installer, can help you learn more about what incentives you qualify for.
How much can I save on my electric bill annually if I install solar panels on my Johnston home?
On average, Johnston homeowners who install solar panels save around $803.12 per year, or around $15,259.30 over 20 years after they make the switch.
What are some environmental benefits of adding solar panels to my home?
Solar energy is a renewable energy source — by changing where you get your energy, you can help lessen the strain on our planet's resources. You can also reduce the CO2 emissions from your home by 450 pounds a year, or around 9,000 pounds over 20 years.
Can I qualify for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order your incentives will be applied in could vary depending on which incentives you receive but in most cases yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Get in touch with your solar installer or a local tax professional to confirm you are claiming all of the incentives you qualify for and applying them in the correct order.
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.