2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Batavia, IL - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Batavia.
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 Batavia 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 Batavia?
Special Assessment for Solar Energy Systems
ComEd - Energy Efficiency Program for Residential
Air Purifier: $50
Clothes Washer: $50
Dehumidifier: $50
Electric Clothes Dryer: $50
Freezer: $50
Refrigerator: $50
Room Air Conditioner: $25
Refrigerator/Freezer Recycling: Free pickup and $50, plus an additional $10 if recycling a room A/C at the same time
Heating & Cooling
Air Source Heat Pump: $400 - $600
Central A/C: $300 - $600
Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump: $400
Geothermal Heat Pump: Up to $6,000/home
Furnace Blower Motor (ECM): $50 - $100
Miscellaneous
Advanced Power Strip: $10
Air Sealing: Up to $400/home
Attic Insulation: Up to $300/home
Duct Sealing: Up to $500/home
Lighting: In-store discounts, varies
Pool Pump: $275
Smart Thermostat: $100
Wall Insulation: Up to $400/home
Solar Renewable Energy Credits
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. This category of financial incentives is designed to encourage more homeowners to switch their home over to renewable energy. Different types of incentives, such as discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill, might be available to you. Some incentives may be handled by the state of Illinois, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while others are federal. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Tax Credits: Tax credits decrease, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax you owe the government. These differ from tax deductions.
- Net Metering: You may be able to sign a net metering contract with your Batavia utility company. This agreement may apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity your solar panels generate. They will then deduct this value from your monthly utility bill.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panels might qualify for exemptions on both sales and property tax. Sales tax exemptions are effective at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions allow you to exclude the value that solar panels add when you are calculating property taxes on your home.
- Rebates: Rebates, or partial refunds after a purchase, are usually given prior to any solar tax credits being calculated. These rebates might be provided by your local utility company, by your state or by your county.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs are credits that can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for money that normally counts as part of your taxable income. Typically, you must meet a certain (small) threshold of energy production before your solar system is eligible for SRECs or similar performance-based incentives. Incentives like these are typically handled by your state government.
Best National Provider
SunPower
- Most efficient panels on the market
- National coverage
- Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
- Great warranty coverage
- Expensive
- Customer service varies by local dealer
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries
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 people think of solar incentives, federal incentives might be the first thing that comes to mind. The solar incentive that you're most likely to have heard of is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which gives you a credit on your taxes equal to a specified percentage of the cost of your solar system.
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, equipment, labor and accessories. This credit can be claimed on a solar panel system installed on a primary or secondary residence that you own in the United States. The original amount you could claim was 30% of the total cost, although the amount you can claim may range between 26-30%. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
Your local Batavia solar panel installer can provide more information about the ITC and how it may apply to your situation.
The ITC has been renewed and expanded following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. It's also now called the Clean Energy Credit. The new Clean Energy Credit is valid until 2035. Homeowners can now apply for a 30% credit for solar systems installed between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2032. This credit will then see a slight annual decrease until the date of expiration. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. To understand how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you, reach out to your local Batavia solar installers.
State & Local Solar Incentives
There are often state solar incentives available in addition to federal ones. Rebates, tax credits and more might be available at a more local level. Certain incentives are offered for only a limited time, while others are ongoing. Your local solar incentives may come from your county or municipality, or from the Illinois government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Batavia
Nationwide solar energy use has gone up tremendously in the past 15 years, in part thanks to the growth in the number of solar incentives. You might receive these incentives from your local utility company, the Illinois government or the federal government. Contact your local solar panel installer today to discover more about the various programs and to save as much money as possible on a solar system for your Batavia home.
EcoWatch's Batavia, IL Solar Incentives FAQs
How can I find out if I qualify for specific solar incentives?
In most cases, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar system
- installed on property that you own
- within the U.S.
- within the date range specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including ones handled by the Illinois government or by your county/municipality, sometimes have additional qualifications. Speak with your local Batavia solar installer to learn more about what incentives your project will qualify for.
Can I receive incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order that incentives will be applied in might vary depending on which incentives you are claiming but generally 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 make sure you are claiming all the incentives you're eligible for and applying them in the correct order.
Can I use a combination of solar and another type of renewable energy to power my home?
You can power your home with multiple types of renewable energy, or a combination of renewable and non-renewable energy. Make sure you discuss your ideas with your local Batavia solar installation expert. They can help you as you plan for your project and also help you understand the various incentives that you will or won't qualify for.
Can I receive any incentives when I add solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property?
While we recommend speaking with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to fully understand what solar incentives apply to you, many incentives 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.
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.