2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Wixom, MI - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Wixom.
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 Wixom?
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Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are intended to make renewable energy usage more affordable via financial incentives to help people install solar panels on their homes. Solar incentives could include upfront discounts, cash back or monthly credits towards your utility bill. Some incentives are given by the federal government, some by the Michigan government and some by your specific utility company, county or municipality. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Net Metering: Net metering factors in once your solar system is up and running. If you have in place a net metering agreement with your Wixom utility company, it will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your utility bill each month. In some areas, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in other areas you might make back a percentage of the value.
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions are effective at the time of purchase for your solar system. Property tax exemptions allow you to ignore the added value of your solar system when you calculate how much property tax you need to pay on your home.
- Tax Credits: These credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much in taxes you owe the federal government.
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund given after you've purchased your solar system. Rebates might be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The cash back that you get from the rebates is normally applied before tax credits are calculated.
Federal Solar Incentives
When someone says "solar incentives," you likely think of federal incentives first. One of the incentives that most people are likely to be familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). The ITC is a tax credit for a specific percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC is applied to the total cost of installing a solar system, including the panels themselves as well as accessories, equipment and labor. You can claim this credit for panels installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence that you own and that is located in the United States. From its original value of 30% of the total cost, the credit has fluctuated slightly between 26-30%, and you may qualify for varying percentages depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum claim amount.
Curious how the ITC might apply to your specific situation? Get in touch with your local Wixom solar panel installation expert to get more information.
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 has increased the current credit up to 30% for solar systems installed between 2022 and 2032. After 2032, the credit percentage will be reduced slightly each year until the program expires in 2035. The program expansion also makes credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim, beginning in 2023.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. To fully understand how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you, get in touch with your local Wixom solar installers.
State & Local Solar Incentives
There are often also state solar incentives in addition to those provided by the federal government. Tax credits, rebates and more might be available at a more local level. Some incentives are ongoing, while others are available for a limited time. These incentives may be provided by your county or municipality, or by the Michigan government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Wixom
Solar incentives might come from your local utility company, the federal government or the Michigan government. The variety of available solar incentives has contributed to a large increase in solar energy use in the last 15 years. Speak with your local solar panel installation company today to learn more and to save as much money as possible on solar panels for your Wixom home.
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Michigan Solar Solutions
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- Offers products from leading manufacturers
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Strawberry Solar
- Outstanding customer service
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- Educational, no-pressure sales approach
- Limited warranty coverage
- No leases or PPAs
- Limited brands of solar equipment available
EcoWatch's Wixom, MI Solar Incentives FAQs
What if I want to add solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property? Will I still qualify for incentives?
While we recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to fully understand what solar incentives apply to you, many apply to a second home, as long as it is in the United States and owned by you. There may be other incentives available specifically for commercial properties, depending on the specifics.
If my house already has solar panels, can I still claim incentives?
If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. If your system was 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 a representative from the company that installed your system, or any local Wixom solar installer, can help you learn what incentives you can apply for.
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar energy?
You can reduce your carbon footprint by 500 pounds of CO2 annually when you switch to solar panels. This adds up to around 10,000 pounds in 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, which means that switching your home over reduces the drain on our planet's resources.
If I trade in my appliances for ones that can use solar energy, are there credits that I can claim?
Under the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are several 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 receive incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order that incentives will be applied in could vary depending on which incentives you are claiming but generally yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Check with your solar installer or a local tax professional to ensure 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.