2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Collinsville, IL - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Collinsville.
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 Collinsville solar installers to see how much you can save.
Please enter a valid 5-digit zip code!
Updated March 14, 2023
Why you can trust EcoWatch
What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Collinsville?
Special Assessment for Solar Energy Systems
Solar Renewable Energy Credits
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are meant to encourage homeowners to switch their home over to renewable energy by offering financial incentives that lower the burden of solar panel installation and use. Incentives might include things like discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits. Some incentives are provided by the federal government, while others are offered by the state of Illinois or your specific utility company, county or municipality. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions can come in two forms. The first is sales tax exemption, applied at the time you purchase your solar panels. The second is property tax exemption, which allows you to ignore the added value of your solar system when calculating property tax for your home.
- Rebates: Solar rebates might be provided by your county or state, or by your local utility company. These rebates work as cash back that is applied after you pay for solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and other performance-based incentives might be available to you if the solar system on your home produces more than a specified (usually small) amount of electricity. This category of incentives is usually handled by the state government. You can sell any SRECs you have to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you make is usually considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits decrease, dollar-for-dollar, the total amount of tax you owe the federal government. These differ from tax deductions.
- Net Metering: Net metering becomes relevant after your solar panels are up and running. If you have a net metering agreement with your Collinsville utility company, the company will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your monthly utility bill. In some areas, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in other places you might make back a percentage of the value.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are likely to be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about solar incentives. An incentive that most people are likely familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). The ITC is a tax credit for a certain percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC can be applied to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence that you own in the United States. Initially, the credit applied to 30% of the total cost — for panels, labor, equipment and accessories — although that amount may range from 26-30%, depending on when your solar system was installed. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.
Curious how the ITC might apply to your specific situation? Reach out to your local Collinsville solar panel installation expert to get more information.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act laid out new provisions for the ITC, now titled the Clean Energy Credit. Homeowners can now qualify for a credit of 30% of the total costs of solar system installation for projects started after January 1, 2022 and completed before the end of 2032. This percentage will then begin to decrease on a yearly basis until the Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, it will also be easier to get credits for energy storage systems under the new laws.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. The easiest way to learn more about how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you is to get in touch with your local Collinsville solar panel installation expert.
State & Local Solar Incentives
There are more than just federal solar incentives; tax credits, rebates and more are often offered at the state and local level. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others are offered for only a limited time. Your local solar incentives may come from the Illinois government, or from your specific county or municipality.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Collinsville
You can apply for and receive solar incentives from the Illinois government and the federal government, as well as from your local utility company. The increased availability of solar initiatives over the last 15 years has helped greatly increase nationwide adoption of solar energy. When you're prepared to make the change to solar energy, reaching out to your local Collinsville solar panel installation expert is a great first step.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries (coming 2022)
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
EcoWatch's Collinsville, IL Solar Incentives FAQs
I already have solar panels installed. Does my system qualify for any incentives?
An excellent idea would be to talk to a representative from the company that installed your solar system — or reach out to a local Collinsville solar installer — to learn about which incentives you may qualify for. If your system was installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
How much will solar panels save me on my electric bill in Collinsville annually?
Once you add solar panels to your Collinsville home, you can anticipate savings of approximately $648.32 per year, or approximately $12,318.01 over the next 20 years.
When does the federal solar tax credit end?
The Clean Energy Credit (formerly named the federal solar tax credit, or the ITC), currently ends on January 1, 2035. Currently set at 30%, the credit will drop to 26% in 2033 and to 22% in 2034.
If I change out my appliances for ones that can utilize solar energy, are there any benefits I can claim?
The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act provides a number of incentives designed to reward homeowners for making eco-friendly upgrades. Some incentives include rebates and tax credits for installing new electric appliances. You can find more details about these incentives here.
Can I receive incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order your incentives will be applied in may vary depending on which incentives you receive 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 ensure you are claiming all the incentives you are eligible 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.