2025 Solar Incentives Guide for Nantucket, MA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Nantucket.
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 Nantucket?
Residential Renewable Energy Income Tax Credit
Local Option - Energy Revolving Loan Fund
Commonwealth Woodstove Change-Out Program
Pellet Stove: $1,000 - $1,750
Catalytic Woodstove: $750 - $1,250
Non-Catalytic Woodstove: $500-$1,250
Fully Automated Wood Stove: $1,500 - $1,750
Low-Income Residential:
Pellet Stove: $2,500 - $3,250
Catalytic Woodstove: $2,250 - $2,750
Non-Catalytic Woodstove: $2,000-$2,750
Fully Automated Wood Stove: $2,750 - $3,250
Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SREC-II)
Mass Solar Loan Program
Residential and Small-Scale Ground-Source Heat Pump Rebate Program
Retrofit Existing GSHP Rebate: varies with installation costs
Renewable Energy Property Tax Exemption
Wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, solar thermal, solar PV, and other solar energy systems: the assessed value of the system
Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) Program
Renewable Energy Equipment Sales Tax Exemption
Cape Light Compact- Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Refrigerator and Freezer Recycling: $125
Electric Clothes Dryers: $50
Clothes Washer: $350
Dehumidifiers: $30
Room Air Purifiers: $40
Room Air Conditioner: $40
Heating & Cooling
Oil Heating System: Up to $800
Propane Heating Equipment: Up to $2,300
Oil Water Heater: Up to $400
Propane Water Heater: Up to $800
Heat Pump Water Heater: Up to $600
Central AC/Heat Pump: Up to $250/ton
Mini-Split Heat Pump: Up to $250/ton
Programmable Thermostats: Up to $25
WiFi Thermostat: Up to $100
Solar Domestic Hot Water heater: $500 - $1,500
Home Electronics
Advanced Power Strips: Varies
Home Insulation
Limited Time Enhanced Incentive: 75%
Year-Round Tenant Incentive: 100%
Enhanced Residential Program: 100%
Lighting
LEDs: Varies
Home Energy Assessment: Free
Residential & Small-Scale Solar Hot Water Program
Additional $500/system for metering installation
Additional $500/system for participants that have also installed solar PV on the same facility
80%-120% Income-Based Rebate Adder: $125 multiplier in formula (as opposed to $100)
Less than 80% of SMI Income-Based Rebate Adder: $150 multiplier in formula (as opposed to $100)
Non-Profit/Public Entity Adder: $150 in formula (as opposed to $100)
Affordable Housing Adder: $200 in formula (as opposed to $100)
Alternative Energy and Energy Conservation Patent Income Tax Deduction (Personal)
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives help mitigate the cost of installing a solar panel system on your home. Financial incentives like these are intended to encourage more people to switch to renewable energy. The incentives may include cash back, upfront discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are given by the federal government, some by the state of Massachusetts and some by your utility company, county or municipality. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Rebates: Solar rebates might be provided by your local utility company, or by your county or state. These rebates work as cash back that is applied after you purchase a solar system and before tax credits are calculated.
- Net Metering: Net metering factors in after your solar system is up and running. If you have in place a net metering agreement with your Nantucket utility company, the company will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your monthly utility bill. In some areas, this credit is dollar-for-dollar, while in other places you may receive a refund equivalent to a percentage of the value.
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions can come in one of two forms. First, there is sales tax exemption, applied at the time you purchase your solar panels. The second is property tax exemption. This allows you to exclude the added value of your solar system when paying property tax on your home.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar other performance-based incentives may be available to you if the solar system on your home produces more than a specified (generally small) amount of electricity. This category of incentives is usually handled by the state government. You can sell your SRECs to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you make is typically considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Credits: These credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much income tax you owe the government.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the type of incentives that you are most likely to have heard of. The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, is probably the most commonly known federal solar incentive. The ITC provides a tax credit for a predetermined percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC was originally for 30% of the cost of solar panel installation, although it has fluctuated slightly over the years between 26-30%. The percentage you qualify for will depend on when your solar system was installed. The cost of installation includes the panels themselves as well as the cost of equipment, labor and accessories. There is no maximum claim amount. The ITC can be applied to solar panels installed after January 1, 2006, on your primary or secondary residence. The residence must be in the United States and owned by you.
To know exactly how much money the ITC could save you, talk to your local Nantucket solar panel installation expert.
The ITC has been renewed and expanded following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. It's also now called the Clean Energy Credit. For solar system installations that begin after January 1, 2022, and are completed by the end of 2032, homeowners can receive a credit equal to 30% of the total cost. After 2033, the percentage will decrease annually until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. Starting in 2023, it will also be easier to qualify for credits for energy storage systems with the new act.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. The easiest way to fully understand how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you is to talk with your local Nantucket solar panel installers.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be offered at the local or state level. As with federal incentives, these might include rebates, tax credits and more. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others are offered for only a limited time. Local solar incentives could come from your county or municipality, or from the Massachusetts government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Nantucket
There are many types of solar incentives: those offered by local utility companies, those provided by the Massachusetts government and those given by the federal government, to name a few. Solar energy utilization has increased tremendously in the last 15 years, partially thanks to these incentives. Your local Nantucket solar panel installation company can provide you with more details about which incentives you can apply for, and get you feeling good about making the change to renewable energy today.
EcoWatch's Nantucket, MA Solar Incentives FAQs
I already have solar panels. Does my system qualify for any incentives?
An excellent idea would be to talk to the company that installed your solar panels – or speak to a local Nantucket solar installer — to learn about 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%.
I want to trade in my old appliances for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any incentives I can claim?
Under the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are a number of new financial incentives to encourage you to 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 qualify for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order that incentives will be applied in might vary depending on which incentives you receive but typically yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Get in touch with your solar installer or a local tax professional to be sure you are claiming all possible incentives and applying them in the correct order.
What if I am planning to add solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property? Do I still qualify for incentives?
Many solar incentives apply to a property you own that is located within the United States, and most secondary residences fall into this category. Other solar incentives may be available for commercial properties, depending on the details. We recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what incentives may apply to your specific situation.
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