2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Mascoutah, IL - Tax Credits & Rebates

What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Mascoutah?

Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/

The phrase "solar incentives" refers broadly to financial incentives put in place by solar companies and the government to encourage the adoption and use renewable energy by making installing and using solar panels more affordable. These incentives may include upfront discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are given by the federal government, some by the Illinois government and some by your utility company, county or municipality. Categories of solar incentives include:

• Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions that lower the amount of income tax you owe the government. (This is different from a tax deduction.)
• Rebates: A solar rebate is a partial refund credited to your account after you've paid for your solar system. Rebates could be offered by your local utility company, your state or your county. The cash back that you get from the rebates is normally applied before calculating tax credits.
• Tax Exemptions: Your solar system 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 house.
• Net Metering: Net metering becomes relevant once your solar system is up and running. If you've signed a net metering agreement with your Mascoutah utility company, they will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your utility bill each month. In some areas, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in others you may be refunded a percentage of the value.
• Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar performance-based incentives are normally handled by your state government. Once your solar panel system meets a predetermined threshold (typically a small amount of energy production), you are eligible to receive SRECs that can then be sold to your utility company or other buyers. The money you make from the sale is usually considered part of your taxable income.

Federal Solar Incentives

When you hear the term "solar incentives," federal incentives might be the first thing that comes to mind. It's likely that you've heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. The ITC is a tax credit that reduces your taxes by a predetermined percentage of the money you spend installing solar panels.

The ITC is applied to the total cost of solar system installation, including the panels themselves as well as accessories, labor and equipment. This credit can be claimed for panels installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence that you own, as long as it is located in the United States. 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 amount you can claim.

Contacting your local Mascoutah solar panel installation expert is the best way to learn more about how the ITC may apply to you.

The ITC was both renewed and expanded by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. It's also now called the Clean Energy Credit. The Clean Energy Credit is valid until 2035. Any solar installation project that is completed between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2032 may qualify for a 30% tax credit; the amount will then decrease slightly each year until the current program ends. Starting in 2023, the expansion will also make credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim.

More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. The easiest way to fully understand how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you is to reach out to your local Mascoutah solar panel installers with your questions.

State & Local Solar Incentives

Some solar incentives are often also provided at the state and local level. As with federal incentives, these might include tax credits, rebates and more. The incentives — which might be handled by your county or municipality, or by the state of Illinois — might be offered on an ongoing basis, or for only a limited time.

Next Steps for Installing Solar in Mascoutah

You can apply for 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 increase nationwide solar energy use enormously. Your local Mascoutah solar panel installation company can provide you with more details about which incentives you should apply for, and get you feeling good about making the change to renewable energy today.