2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Brooklyn Park, MD - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Brooklyn Park.
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 Brooklyn Park?
Residential Clean Energy Rebate Program
SWH: $500/project (flat per installation/household incentive)
New GHC: $3,000/project
GHC Replacement: $500/project
Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs)
Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Residential Solar and Wind Electricity Sales
Property Tax Exemption for Solar and Wind Energy Systems
Clean-Burning Wood Stove Grant Program
Pellet Burning Stove: $700
Local Option - Property Tax Credit for High Performance Buildings
Local Option - Property Tax Credit for Renewables and Energy Conservation Devices
Baltimore Gas & Electric Company (Electric) - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Clothes Dryer (Electric): $50
Clothes Washer: $75 - $100
Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater: $500
Pool Pump: $150 - $400
Refrigerator: $100
Dehumidifier: $30
Refrigerator or Freezer Recycling: $50, plus $25 bonus when recycling an old, working room A/C or dehumidifier at the same time
Room A/C or Dehumidifier Recycling (*May 20, 2017 only*): $25
Smart Thermostat: $100
Heating & Cooling
Air-Source Heat Pump: $400 - $650
Central A/C: $300 - $500
Gas Furnace: $250
Furnace Blower Motor: $50 - $100
Geothermal Heat Pump: $1,500
Lighting
Instant discounts vary by participating retailer; see program website
Baltimore Gas & Electric Company (Gas) - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Clothes Dryer (Electric): $50
Clothes Washer: $75 - $100
Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater: $500
Pool Pump: $150 - $400
Refrigerator: $100
Dehumidifier: $30
Refrigerator or Freezer Recycling: $50, plus $25 bonus when recycling an old, working room A/C or dehumidifier at the same time
Room A/C or Dehumidifier Recycling (*May 20, 2017 only*): $25
Smart Thermostat: $100
Heating & Cooling
Air-Source Heat Pump: $400 - $650
Central A/C: $300 - $500
Gas Furnace: $250
Furnace Blower Motor: $50 - $100
Geothermal Heat Pump: $1,500
Lighting
Instant discounts vary by participating retailer; see program website
Residential/Community Wind Grant Program
Community: $1000/kW - $4000/kW, depending on the system capacity
Anne Arundel County - Solar and Geothermal Equipment Property Tax Credits
Anne Arundel County - High Performance Dwelling Property Tax Credit
LEED or NGBS Gold: 60% of real property taxes for 5 years
LEED Platinum or NGBS Emerald: 80% of real property taxes for 5 years
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are intended to make renewable energy usage more affordable through financial incentives for those who install solar panels on their homes. Incentives may include things like discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits. Some incentives are handled federally, while others are provided by the state of Maryland or your specific utility company, county or municipality. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Net Metering: Net metering is an incentive you can get after your solar system is up and running. If you have a net metering agreement with your Brooklyn Park utility company, it will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your utility bill each month. In some locations, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in other areas you might make back a percentage of the value.
- Rebates: Solar rebates may be offered by your county or state, or by your local utility company. These rebates are essentially partial refunds that are applied after you pay for solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panel system may qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions are effective at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you ignore the value that solar panels add when you are calculating property taxes on your home.
- Tax Credits: Different from tax deductions, tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax that you owe the government.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar performance-based incentives might be available to you if the solar system on your home produces more than a specified (usually small) amount of electricity. These types of incentives are generally handled by the state government. You can sell any SRECs you have to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you receive in return 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 for Leasing
Sunrun
- Expansive service area
- Many financing options
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Some reported issues with door-to-door sales
Best Social Impact
Palmetto Solar
- Expansive service area
- Makes charitable contributions
- Certified B Corp
- No leases or PPAs
- Quality of installation may vary by location
Federal Solar Incentives
When thinking about solar incentives, you likely think of federal incentives first. An incentive that most people are likely familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This is a tax credit for a certain percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC can be applied to solar systems 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, equipment and accessories – although that amount may range from 26-30%, depending on the installation date of your solar system. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.
To understand exactly how much money the ITC could save you, contact your local Brooklyn Park solar panel installation expert.
The ITC was both renewed and expanded by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. It's also now called 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 end of the program in 2035. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. To better understand how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you, talk to your local Brooklyn Park solar installation company.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Tax credits, rebates and more might be provided at multiple levels. Along with federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones, too. Incentives may be given by your county or municipality, or by the state of Maryland. Some incentives are available for only a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Brooklyn Park
The expanding number of solar incentives available has helped tremendously increase the nationwide adoption of solar energy over the last 15 years. You may receive solar incentives from the federal government, the Maryland government or from your local utility company. Your local Brooklyn Park solar panel installation company can help you learn more about which incentives you should apply for, and get you on track to switch to renewable energy today.
EcoWatch's Brooklyn Park, MD Solar Incentives FAQs
If my house already has solar panels, can I still claim incentives?
If your solar system was installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. If you had your system installed between 2006 and 2021, you might qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the year it was installed. Speaking with the company that installed your system, or any local Brooklyn Park solar installer, can help you learn more about what incentives you might want to apply for.
Who installs solar panels near me?
To find the best solar panel installer in your area, check out our guide to the top solar companies in Brooklyn Park.
If I change out my appliances for ones that can use solar energy, are there benefits I can claim?
The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act introduces several incentives that reward homeowners for making eco-friendly upgrades. Some of these incentives include rebates and tax credits for installing new electric appliances. You can find more details about these incentives 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 are claiming but in most cases 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 ensure 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.