2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Columbus, IN - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Columbus.
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 Columbus 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 Columbus?
Renewable Energy Property Tax Exemption
Wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, solar thermal, solar PV, and other solar energy systems: the assessed value of the system
NineStar Connect - Residential Energy Efficient Equipment Rebate Program
Pool Pumps: $250/unit
Heat Pump Water Heaters: $400/unit
Air-Source Heat Pumps: $250 - $1,500/unit
Geothermal Heat Pumps: $1,500/unit
South Central Indiana REMC - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Geothermal Heat Pump: $1,500
Air-Source, Ductless Mini Split, or Dual Fuel Heat Pump with Dual/Variable Speed Compressor: $750
Air-Source, Ductless Mini Split, or Dual Fuel Heat Pump with Single Speed Compressor Replacing Electric Resistance Heat: $800
Air-Source, Ductless Mini Split, or Dual Fuel Heat Pump with Dual/Variable Speed Compressor Replacing Electric Resistance Heat: $1,500
Noble REMC - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Incentives
Variable Speed Pool Pump: $250
Air-Source Heat Pump: $250-$750
Ground Source Heat Pump: $1500
Heat Pump Water Heater: $400
Johnson County REMC - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Geothermal Heat Pumps: $1,500/unit
Heat Pump Water Heater: $500/unit
Mini-Split ductless Heat Pump: $750/unit - $1500/unit
Lighting: Instant rebates through online lighting store (small businesses, farms, or workshops)
NIPSCO - Feed-In Tariff
Wind 10 kW-200 kW: $0.15 - $0.138/kWh
Solar 5 kW - 10 kW: $0.17 - $0.1564/kWh
Solar 10 - 200 kW: $0.15/kWh - $0.138/kWh
Biomass 100kW - 1 MW: $0.0918/kWh
Duke Energy - Residential and Builder Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Heat Pump Water Heater: $350
Attic Insulation and Air Sealing: $250/unit
Duct Sealing: $100/unit
Variable Speed Pool Pump: $300
Bartholomew County REMC - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Air Source Heat Pumps: $750 - $1,500
Water Heater (New Construction/Conversion): $500
Refrigerator/Freezer Recycling: $50
LED Lighting: Instant discounts
Jackson County REMC - Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Air-Source or Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump: $400/Unit - $1,500/Unit
Geothermal Heat Pump: $1,500/Unit
Duel Fuel Heat Pump: $400/Unit - $1,500/Unit
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives mitigate the cost of installing solar panels on your home. These financial incentives are in place to encourage more homeowners to convert their home partially or fully to renewable energy. Incentives can include things like discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are handled federally, while others are offered by the Indiana government or your specific utility company, county or municipality. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Net Metering: Net metering is an incentive you can get once your solar panels are up and running. If you've signed a net metering agreement with your Columbus utility company, it will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your utility bill each month. In some locations, this credit is dollar-for-dollar, while in other places you might get refunded a percentage of the value.
- Tax Credits: Different from tax deductions, tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax that you owe the government.
- Rebates: Solar rebates can be offered by your local utility company, or by your county or state. These rebates work as partial refunds that are applied after you purchase a solar system and before tax credits are calculated.
- 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 paying property tax on your house.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries
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 solar incentives are likely the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about solar incentives. It's likely that you've heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This incentive is a tax credit that reduces your taxes by a certain percentage of the money you spend on solar panels for your home.
The ITC can be applied to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006, and lets you deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, accessories, labor and equipment. You can claim this credit for a solar panel system installed on a primary or secondary residence that you own in the United States. The original claim amount was 30% of the total cost, although certain projects may qualify for only 26%, depending on the details. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
Reaching out to your local Columbus solar panel installation expert is the best way to understand how the ITC could apply to your situation.
In August 2022, the ITC (now titled the Clean Energy Credit) was expanded and extended by the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act. The Clean Energy Credit bolsters the current credit, increasing it up to 30% for solar installations undertaken between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2032. After this, the percentage will see a slight decrease annually until the end of the program in 2035. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make it easier to get credit for energy storage systems.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Columbus solar panel company can answer your questions and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be provided by state and local governments. Similar to federal incentives, these can include rebates, tax credits and more. Some incentives are offered for only a limited time, while others are ongoing. Your local solar incentives might come from your county or municipality, or from the Indiana government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Columbus
Solar energy use nationwide has gone up significantly in the last 15 years, in part thanks to the increase in availability of solar incentives. You can obtain these incentives from your local utility company, the federal government or the Indiana government. We recommend talking to your local Columbus solar installer to learn more about these incentives and to ensure that you're getting the largest number possible for your solar system.
EcoWatch's Columbus, IN Solar Incentives FAQs
If my house already has solar panels, can I still claim incentives?
An excellent idea would be to talk to someone from the company that installed your system – or get in touch with a local Columbus solar installer — to better understand which incentives you may 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. Systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
How much can I save on my electric bill annually if I install solar panels on my Columbus home?
When you add solar panels to your home in Columbus, you can expect to save about $976.20 per year, or approximately $18,547.78 over the next 20 years.
Can I claim 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 are eligible for but typically 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 verify you are claiming all the incentives you qualify for and applying them in the correct order.
Can I receive any incentives when I add solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property?
While we recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what solar incentives apply to you, many can be claimed on a second home, as long as it is in the United States and owned by you. There may be additional incentives available for commercial properties specifically, 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.