2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Waterford, MI - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Waterford.
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 Waterford?
Michigan Saves - Home Energy Loan Program
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives mitigate the cost of installing solar panels on your home. These financial incentives are designed to encourage more people to convert their home partially or fully to renewable energy. You may qualify for various types 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. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Rebates: Solar rebates might be offered by your local utility company, or by your state or county. These rebates are essentially partial refunds that are applied after your purchase of solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions can come in 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 ignore the value added by your solar system when calculating property tax for your house.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government. (A tax credit is different from a tax deduction.)
- Net Metering: Net metering is an incentive you can get after your solar system is up and running. If you've signed a net metering agreement with your Waterford utility company, they will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your utility bill each month. In some locations, this credit is dollar-for-dollar, while in others you may receive a refund equivalent to a percentage of the value.
Best National Provider
SunPower
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Solar Veteran
Michigan Solar Solutions
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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
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are likely to be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about solar incentives. A federal incentive that most people are likely to be familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This is a tax credit for a specific percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC can be applied to the total cost of installing a solar system, including the panels themselves as well as accessories, labor and equipment. This credit can be claimed for panels installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence located in the United States that you own. Originally set at 30% of total costs, the credit has fluctuated over time, and you may qualify for different amounts depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
To best understand how the ITC will apply to you, reach out to your local Waterford solar panel installation expert and request more information.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, made some changes to the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). Now, solar installation projects begun after January 1, 2022, and finished by December 31, 2032, might qualify for a 30% tax credit. The amount of the credit will then decrease slightly each year until the end of the current Clean Energy Credit in 2035. Beginning in 2023, it will also be easier to qualify for credits for energy storage systems under the new laws.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Waterford solar panel installation expert is the best person to answer your questions regarding the new Clean Energy Credit and how it applies to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also offered at the local or state level. Like with federal incentives, these could include rebates, tax credits and more. These incentives might be given out by your county or municipality, or by the Michigan government. Certain incentives are available for a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Waterford
Nationwide solar energy use has gone up tremendously in the last 15 years, in part due to the growth in the number of solar incentives. You may get these incentives from the federal government, the Michigan government or your local utility company. When you're ready to make the switch to solar energy, reaching out to your local Waterford solar panel installation expert is an excellent place to start.
EcoWatch's Waterford, MI Solar Incentives FAQs
How can I find out if I qualify for different solar incentives?
Generally, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar panel system
- installed on property you own
- within the U.S.
- within the date range specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including ones handled by the Michigan government or by your county/municipality, could have additional qualifications. Talk to your local Waterford solar installer to find out what incentives your project may qualify for.
What are the best solar panel installation companies near me?
To find the right solar panel installer for you, check out our guide to the best solar companies in Waterford.
I want to trade in my old appliances for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any incentives I can get?
Under the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are several new financial incentives for making 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 in which incentives are applied might vary depending on which incentives you are claiming but in most cases 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 make sure you are claiming all the incentives you're 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.