2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Gardere, LA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Gardere.
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 Gardere?
Home Energy Loan Program (HELP)
New Orleans City - Energy Smart Program
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
The term "solar incentives" refers to financial incentives that are in place to encourage people to use renewable energy by making solar panels more affordable. Various types of incentives, like discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill, may be available to you. Some incentives may be provided via the Louisiana government, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while other incentives are federal. Categories of solar incentives include:
- Rebates: A solar rebate is a partial refund given after you've purchased your solar panels. Rebates might be offered by your local utility company, your state or your county. The discount that rebates offer is normally applied to the price of solar panels before calculating tax credits.
- Tax Credits: These credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in the amount of tax that you owe the federal government.
- Tax Exemptions: These could come in the form of property tax exemptions, which would allow you to ignore the value of your solar system when paying taxes on your home. You could also look for exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
- Net Metering: Don't forget to talk to your Gardere utility company about signing a net metering agreement. This allows you to get a credit towards your utility bill every month for the value of excess energy your solar panels generate. You could receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
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 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 probably the first thing that you think of when you think about solar incentives. You might have heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. The ITC is a tax credit that reduces your taxes by a specified percentage of the money you spend on your solar system.
The ITC can be applied to solar panels installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. The credit initially covered 30% of the total cost – for panels, labor, accessories and equipment – although it may range from 26-30%, depending on when your solar system was installed. There is no cap on the claim amount.
Your local Gardere solar panel installation expert can provide you with more information about the ITC and how it may apply to your situation.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act made revisions to the ITC, now referred to as the Clean Energy Credit. The Clean Energy Credit re-raises the credit up to 30% for solar installations undertaken between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2032. After 2032, the credit percentage will be reduced slightly each year until the program expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, the expansion will also make credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. The best way to understand how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you is to speak with your local Gardere solar panel installation expert directly.
State & Local Solar Incentives
There are often also state solar incentives in addition to those provided by the federal government. Rebates, tax credits and more may be available at a more local level. Some incentives are ongoing, while others are only available for a limited time. These incentives may be offered by the Louisiana government, or by your county or municipality.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Gardere
Solar incentives might come from your local utility company, the federal government or the Louisiana government. The large number of incentives available has helped nationwide use of solar energy increase greatly in the last 15 years. If you're prepared to make the change to solar energy, talking to your local Gardere solar panel installation expert is a great first step.
EcoWatch's Gardere, LA Solar Incentives FAQs
How do I know if I qualify for solar incentives?
Generally, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar system
- installed on property that you own
- within the U.S.
- within the date range specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including those run by the Louisiana government or by your county/municipality, may have additional qualifications. Talk to your local Gardere solar installer to discover what incentives your project will qualify for.
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar energy?
You can lower your carbon footprint by 400 pounds of CO2 annually when you install solar panels. This adds up to around 8,000 pounds over 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, which means that making the switch reduces the drain on our planet's resources.
How long until the federal solar tax credit ends?
The federal solar tax credit, formerly called the ITC and now called the Clean Energy Credit, is slated to end on January 1, 2035. The current 30% credit will end in 2032, replaced by a 26% credit in 2033 and a 22% credit in 2034.
Can I qualify for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
Yes, you can claim both rebates and tax credits towards the cost of solar panels. Depending on precisely which incentives you are eligible for, they may apply in a different order. Make sure that you talk to your solar installer or a local tax professional to verify that you are claiming incentives correctly and getting the most money possible.
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.