2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Rochester Hills, MI - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Rochester Hills.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2023 and beyond)
- Ways to optimize your solar investment
Solar installers are experts in maximizing your solar tax credits and rebates.
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Updated May 04, 2023
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Rochester Hills?
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Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are designed to mitigate the cost of installing a solar panel system on your home. This category of financial incentives is designed to encourage more homeowners to switch their home over to renewable energy. You may qualify for different kinds of incentives, such as cash back, discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill, depending on your situation. Certain incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the Michigan government and others from the federal government. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Net Metering: Make sure you talk to your Rochester Hills utility company about signing a net metering contract. This will allow you to get a credit towards your utility bill every month for the value of excess energy generated by your solar panels. You might receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
- Rebates: Rebates, or cash back after a purchase, are typically applied before any solar tax credits are calculated. Solar rebates can be provided by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
- Tax Credits: Unlike tax deductions, tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the government.
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions may 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. This allows you to exclude the added value of your solar system when calculating property tax for your house.
Federal Solar Incentives
When people think of solar incentives, federal incentives might be the first thing that comes to mind. The solar incentive that you're most familiar with is probably the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which gives you a credit on your taxes equal to a percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC applies to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence that you own in the United States. Originally, the tax credit was for 30% of the total cost — for panels, accessories, labor 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.
To find out exactly how much money the ITC could save you, talk to your local Rochester Hills 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 systems installed between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2032, homeowners may be eligible for a credit for 30% of the total cost. After 2033, the percentage will decrease annually until the Clean Energy Credit 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 easiest way to learn more about how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you is to reach out to your local Rochester Hills solar panel installation expert with your questions.
State & Local Solar Incentives
There are often state solar incentives available in addition to federal ones. Rebates, tax credits and more might be available at a more local level. Some incentives are offered for only a limited time, while others are ongoing. Your local incentives may come from your county or municipality, or from the Michigan government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Rochester Hills
You can qualify for solar incentives from the federal government and the Michigan government, as well as from your local utility company. This increase in availability of solar initiatives over the last 15 years has helped increase solar adoption nationwide. When you're prepared to switch over to solar energy, reaching out to your local Rochester Hills solar panel installation expert is a great first step.
Solar Veteran
Michigan Solar Solutions
- Great warranty coverage
- Outstanding customer service
- Offers products from leading manufacturers
- Slightly limited service offerings
- No leases or PPAs
Outstanding Local Installer
Strawberry Solar
- Outstanding customer service
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- Educational, no-pressure sales approach
- Limited warranty coverage
- No leases or PPAs
- Limited brands of solar equipment available
EcoWatch's Rochester Hills, MI Solar Incentives FAQs
How do I learn if I qualify for certain solar incentives?
It's best to speak with your local Rochester Hills solar installer for a better understanding of which incentives your project will qualify for. In most cases, solar incentives apply to new solar panel systems installed on property you own (in the U.S.) within a specified date range. Some incentives, like those offered by the government of Michigan, may have additional requirements.
If I installed solar panels on my house a few years ago, can I still claim incentives?
If your solar system was installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the recently 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 exact installation date. Reaching out to the company that installed your solar system, or any local Rochester Hills solar installer, can help you understand what incentives you might want to apply for.
What are some environmental benefits of adding solar panels to my house?
You can reduce your carbon footprint by 500 pounds of CO2 a year when you switch to solar panels. This adds up to around 10,000 pounds over 20 years. In addition, solar power is a renewable energy source, meaning that switching your home over reduces the drain on our planet's resources.
If I change out my appliances for ones that utilize solar energy, are there credits 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 on these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I claim 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 usually yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Check with your solar installer or a local tax professional to make sure you are claiming all the incentives you are eligible for 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.