2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Rock Island, IL - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Rock Island.
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.
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Rock Island?
Special Assessment for Solar Energy Systems
Solar Renewable Energy Credits
MidAmerican Energy (Electric) - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Programs
Refrigerator or Freezer: $50
Heating & Cooling
Air-Source Heat Pump: $150 - $350
Central Air Conditioners: $50 - $300
Ductless Minisplit A/C: $50 - $300
Ductless Minisplit Heat Pump: $150 - $350
Furnace Fan: $50
Geothermal Heat Pumps: $200 - $2,400, depending on EER and COP
Heat Pump Water Heater: $300
Natural Gas Furnace: $300/unit
Programmable Thermostat: $25
Room Air Conditioners: $35
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are intended to make renewable energy usage more affordable via financial incentives for individuals who install solar panels on their homes. Various kinds 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 Illinois government, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while other incentives are federal. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions may come in one of two forms. First, there is sales tax exemption, applied when you purchase solar panels. The second is property tax exemption, which allows you to ignore the added value of your solar system when paying property tax on your house.
- Net Metering: Net metering is an incentive you can get once your solar panels are up and running. If you have in place a net metering agreement with your Rock Island utility company, it will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your monthly utility bill. In some areas, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in others you might get refunded a percentage of the value.
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund after the purchase of your solar system. These could be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The cash back that you get from the rebates is normally applied before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the government. (This is different from a tax deduction.)
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar performance-based incentives are generally handled at the state level. Once your solar system meets a certain threshold (typically a small amount of energy production), you are eligible to receive SRECs that can be sold to your utility company or other buyers. The money you make from the sale is usually considered part of your taxable income.
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
Federal incentives are the kind of incentives that you are most likely to have some knowledge of. The solar incentive that you're most familiar with is probably the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which gives you a credit on your taxes equal to a predetermined percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC applies to the total cost of solar panel installation, including the panels themselves as well as accessories, labor and equipment. You can claim this credit for panels installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence that you own and that is located in the United States. Originally set at 30% of total costs, the credit has fluctuated over time, and you may qualify for different amounts depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
Your local Rock Island solar panel installation expert can provide more information about the ITC and how it applies to your situation.
In August 2022, the ITC (now called the Clean Energy Credit) was bolstered by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. Under the new program, solar installation projects begun after January 1, 2022, and finished by December 31, 2032, can qualify for a 30% tax credit. This credit amount will then decrease slightly each year until the end of the current Clean Energy Credit in 2035. Starting in 2023, it will also be easier to get credits for energy storage systems under this new program.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. The best way to learn more about how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you is to speak with your local Rock Island solar panel installation expert directly.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be provided by state and local governments. Similar to federal incentives, these may include tax credits, rebates and more. These incentives — which might be provided by the state of Illinois, or by your county or municipality — may be offered on an ongoing basis, or for only a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Rock Island
Nationwide solar energy use has increased enormously in the past 15 years, in part thanks to the proliferation of solar incentives. You can obtain these incentives from your local utility company, the federal government or the Illinois government. Reach out to your local solar panel installation expert today to learn more and to save the most money possible on a solar system for your Rock Island home.
EcoWatch's Rock Island, IL Solar Incentives FAQs
How do I learn if I qualify for specific solar incentives?
Typically, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar system
- installed on a 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, could have additional qualifications. Speak with your local Rock Island solar installer to find out what incentives your project will qualify for.
My home already has solar panels installed. Does my system qualify for any incentives?
An excellent idea would be to talk to someone from the company that installed your system – or call a local Rock Island solar installer — to better understand which incentives you might qualify for. If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Solar systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
If I switch my appliances out for ones that use solar energy, are there any incentives that I can claim?
Under the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are several new financial incentives that are available when you make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details regarding these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I receive incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order that incentives will be applied in could vary depending on which incentives you receive 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 possible incentives 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.