2025 Solar Incentives Guide for Bayou Cane, LA - Tax Credits & Rebates

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

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 intended to encourage more people to convert their home partially or fully to renewable energy. These incentives may include upfront discounts, cash back or monthly credits towards your utility bill. Some incentives are given by the federal government, some by the Louisiana government and some by your specific utility company, county or municipality. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:

• Net Metering: Net metering becomes relevant after your solar system is up and running. If you've signed a net metering agreement with your Bayou Cane utility company, the company will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your monthly utility bill. In some locations, this credit is dollar-for-dollar, while in other places you might receive a refund equivalent to a percentage of the value.
• Tax Credits: Tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, how much income tax you owe the federal government. Tax credits are different from tax deductions.
• Rebates: Rebates, or cash back after a purchase, are normally applied before any solar tax credits are calculated. Solar rebates can be provided by your local utility company, by your state or by your county.
• Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions may come in two forms. The first is sales tax exemption, applied when you purchase solar panels. The second is property tax exemption, which allows you to ignore the value added by your solar system when calculating property tax for your house.

Federal Solar Incentives

When you hear the term "solar incentives," federal incentives might be the first thing that comes to mind. One of the incentives many people are probably familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This incentive is a tax credit for a certain percentage of your solar system's cost.

The ITC applies to the value of a solar system installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar panels have to have been installed after January 1, 2006, on a property owned by you for you to claim the credit. The ITC originally paid out 30% of all costs (panels, labor, accessories and equipment), although this amount has fluctuated slightly over the years between 26-30%. The installation date of your solar system will determine what percentage you are eligible for. There is no cap on the claim amount.

Your local Bayou Cane solar panel installation expert can provide more information about the ITC and how it may apply to your situation.

The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, expanded and extended the ITC (as well as retitling it the Clean Energy Credit). The Clean Energy Credit re-raises the credit up to 30% for solar systems installed between 2022 and 2032. At this point, the percentage will see a slight decrease annually until the program expires in 2035. Beginning in 2023, it will also be easier to claim credits for energy storage systems under the new laws.

More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. The best way to fully understand how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you is to get in touch with your local Bayou Cane solar panel installers.

State & Local Solar Incentives

Rebates, tax credits and more can be provided at multiple levels. Along with federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones, too. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others may only be available for a limited time. These incentives might be provided by the Louisiana government, or by your county or municipality.

Next Steps for Installing Solar in Bayou Cane

You can apply for and receive solar incentives from the Louisiana 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 switch to solar energy, calling your local Bayou Cane solar panel installation expert is an excellent place to start.