2023 Solar Incentives Guide for St Clair, MI - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in St Clair.
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 March 14, 2023
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in St Clair?
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Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
The term "solar incentives" includes a wide range of financial incentives put in place to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. You might qualify for several types of incentives, such as discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill, depending on your situation. Some incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the state of Michigan and others from the federal government. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panels may qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions are applied at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions allow you to ignore the value added by your solar panels when you are calculating property taxes on your home.
- Net Metering: Net metering is an incentive you can get after your solar system is up and running. If you have in place a net metering agreement with your St Clair utility company, the company will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your utility bill each month. In some locations, this credit is dollar-for-dollar, while in others you might receive a refund equivalent to a percentage of the value.
- Rebates: Solar rebates might be offered by your state or county, or by your local utility company. These rebates work as partial refunds that are applied after you purchase a solar system and before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much income tax you owe the federal government.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are probably the first thing that you think of when thinking about solar incentives. The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, is probably the best-known federal solar incentive. The ITC provides you with a tax credit for a predetermined percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC applies to the total cost of installing a solar system, including the panels themselves as well as equipment, accessories and labor. You can claim this credit for panels installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence that you own, as long as it is located in the United States. The tax credit ranges from 26-30% of total costs depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum claim amount.
Reaching out to your local St Clair solar panel installer is the best way to understand how the ITC applies to you.
In August 2022, the ITC (now called the Clean Energy Credit) was bolstered by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. Homeowners are now eligible for a credit of 30% of the total costs of solar system installation for projects that began after January 1, 2022 and will be finished by the end of 2032. This percentage will then decrease on a yearly basis until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. The expansion also makes it easier to get credit for energy storage systems, starting in 2023.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. The best way to learn more about how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you is to talk with your local St Clair solar panel company.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Not all solar incentives are federal; tax credits, rebates and more are often offered at the local or state level. Incentives may be provided by the state of Michigan, or by your county or municipality. Some incentives might only be available for a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in St Clair
There are many kinds of solar incentives: those offered by local utility companies, those offered by the Michigan government and those offered by the federal government, to name a few. The use of solar energy has grown tremendously in the last 15 years, thanks to these incentives. Reach out to your local solar panel installation company today to discover more about the various programs and to save the most money possible on a solar system for your St Clair home.
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 St Clair, MI Solar Incentives FAQs
How can I learn if I qualify for certain solar incentives?
It's a smart idea to get in touch with your local St Clair solar installer to get an understanding of which incentives your project will qualify for. In most cases, solar incentives apply to new solar panel systems installed on a property you own (in the U.S.) within a specified date range. Some incentives, like those provided by the Michigan government, might have additional requirements.
How much will a solar system save me on my electric bill in St Clair annually?
When you add solar panels to your house in St Clair, you can anticipate savings of about $843.81 per year, or about $16,032.32 over the next 20 years.
What are some environmental benefits of installing solar panels on my home?
Solar energy is a renewable energy source — by switching where you get your energy, you help reduce the strain on our planet's resources. You can also reduce your home's CO2 emissions by 500 pounds yearly, or roughly 10,000 pounds over 20 years.
When does the federal solar tax credit end?
The federal solar tax credit, formerly called the ITC and now titled the Clean Energy Credit, is set 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 receive incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
Yes, you can claim both rebates and tax credits towards the cost of your solar panels. Depending on precisely which incentives you are eligible for, they may apply in a different order. Be sure to speak with your solar installer or a local tax professional to confirm 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.