2025 Solar Incentives Guide for Asheville, NC - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Asheville.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2024 and beyond)
- Ways to optimize your solar investment
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Asheville?
Duke Energy - NC Solar Rebate Program
Nonresidential: $0.50/W-AC
Nonprofit: $0.75/W-AC
Property Tax Abatement for Solar Electric Systems
All other systems: 80% of the appraised value
Active Solar Heating and Cooling Systems Exemption
EnergyUnited (Electric) Residential Energy Efficiency Program
Heat Pumps (16 SEER): $300/unit
Duke Energy (Electric) - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Geothermal Heat Pump: $400 + $50 with added smart thermostat
Heat Pump Water Heater: $350
Attic Insulation or Attic Air Sealing: $250
Duct Sealing: $100
Variable-Speed Pool Pumps: $300
NC GreenPower Production Incentive
PV larger than 5 kW: must enter bid process
Wind up to 10 kW: $0.09/kWh
Wind larger than 10 kW: must enter bid process
Local Option - Financing Program for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Local Option - Green Building Incentives
Duke Energy Progress - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Geothermal Heat Pumps: $400 + 50 with smart thermostat
Heat Pump Water Heater: $350
Attic Insulation & Air Sealing: $250
Duct Sealing: $100
Pool Pump: $300
Haywood EMC - Residential Heat Pump and Weatherization Loan Program
$5,000 maximum for a mobile home
City of Asheville - Building Permit Fee Rebates
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are intended to encourage people to switch their home over to renewable energy by offering financial incentives meant to lower the burden of solar panel installation and use. Different types of incentives, like discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill, might be available to you. Certain incentives may be offered by the state of North Carolina, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while other incentives are federal. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panel system might qualify for exemptions on both sales and property tax. Sales tax exemptions are effective at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions allow you to exclude the value added by your solar panels when you are calculating property taxes on your home.
- Net Metering: Be sure to speak to your Asheville utility company about signing a net metering contract. This will allow you to receive 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.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar other performance-based incentives may be available to you if your solar system produces over a specified (usually small) amount of electricity. Performance-based incentives are typically handled at the state level. You can sell the SRECs you receive to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you receive in return is generally considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the government. (A tax credit is different from a tax deduction.)
- Rebates: Rebates, or partial refunds after a purchase, are typically given prior to any solar tax credits being calculated. These rebates might be given by your local utility company, by your state or by your county.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the type of incentives that you are most likely to have heard of. You've likely heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. The ITC is a tax credit equal to a certain percentage of the money you spend on your solar system.
The ITC is applied to the total cost of solar panel installation, including the panels themselves as well as accessories, equipment and labor. This credit can be claimed for panels installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence that you own and that 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 amount you can claim.
To more fully understand how the ITC may apply to you, get in touch with your local Asheville solar panel installation expert and ask for more information.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, expanded and extended the ITC (as well as retitling it the Clean Energy Credit). The Clean Energy Credit is valid until 2035. Your solar installation project undertaken between 2022 and 2032 may qualify for a 30% tax credit; this amount will decrease slightly on a yearly basis until the end of the current program. The program 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. Your local Asheville solar panel installer can answer any questions you have and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Tax credits, rebates and more might be claimed at multiple levels. Along with federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones as well. Incentives might be provided by your county or municipality, or by the state of North Carolina. Some incentives might only be available for a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Asheville
You can apply for and receive solar incentives from the North Carolina government and the federal government, as well as from your local utility company. The increased availability of solar initiatives in the past 15 years has helped increase nationwide solar energy use enormously. We recommend talking to your local Asheville solar installation company for more information about these incentives and to ensure that you're getting the largest number possible for your solar panels.
EcoWatch's Asheville, NC Solar Incentives FAQs
How can I find out if I qualify for solar incentives?
It's a smart idea to get in touch with your local Asheville solar installer for a better understanding of which incentives your project will qualify for. Usually, solar incentives apply to new solar systems installed on property you own (in the U.S.) within a specified date range. Some incentives, like those provided by the North Carolina government, may have additional requirements.
How long until the federal solar tax credit ends?
The Clean Energy Credit (formerly called the federal solar tax credit, or the ITC), is scheduled to end on January 1, 2035. Currently set at 30%, the credit will drop to 26% in 2033 and to 22% in 2034.
Can I claim 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 receive but usually 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 verify you are claiming all possible incentives and applying them in the correct order.
Can I use a combination of solar and another type of renewable energy to power my home?
You can use multiple types of renewable energy, or a combination of renewable and non-renewable energy, to power your home. Make sure you talk through your plan with your local Asheville solar installation expert. They can help you with the plan for your project and give you an understanding of various incentives that you might or might not qualify for.
Can I get any financial incentives when I add solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property?
Many solar incentives apply to a property you own that is located within the United States; most secondary residences will fall under this distinction. There may be other solar incentives available for commercial properties, depending on the specifics. We recommend getting in touch with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to fully understand what incentives may apply to your specific situation.
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.