2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Harrisburg, NC - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Harrisburg.
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 Harrisburg?
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
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are meant to encourage people to switch to renewable energy by providing financial incentives meant to lower the burden of solar panel installation and use. Different types of incentives, like cash back, discounts or monthly utility bill credits, may be available to you. Certain incentives may be handled by the state of North Carolina, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while others are federal. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Tax Credits: Tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, how much income tax you owe the government. Tax credits are different from tax deductions.
- Net Metering: Don't forget to talk with your Harrisburg utility company about signing a net metering contract. This will allow you to get a credit towards your monthly utility bill 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: A solar rebate is a partial refund given after you've purchased your solar panels. Rebates could be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The rebates are usually applied before calculating tax credits.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panel system might qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions are effective at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you exclude the value that solar panels add when calculating property taxes on your house.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar performance-based incentives might be available to you if the solar system on your home produces over a specified (generally small) amount of electricity. Performance-based incentives are normally handled at the state level. You can sell SRECs to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you make is usually considered part of your taxable income.
Federal Solar Incentives
When you hear the term "solar incentives," federal incentives may 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 certain percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC applies to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. Initially, the credit applied to 30% of the total cost — for panels, accessories, equipment and labor — although that amount may range from 26-30%, depending on when your solar project was undertaken. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.
Reaching out to your local Harrisburg solar panel installer is the best way to learn more about how the ITC could apply to your situation.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, made some changes to the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). The Clean Energy Credit is valid until 2035. Solar installation projects started after January 1, 2022 and completed by the end of 2032 may qualify for a 30% tax credit; the amount will decrease slightly on a yearly basis until the current program ends. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. Your local Harrisburg solar panel installer can answer your questions and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be provided at the state and local level. Like with federal incentives, these may include rebates, tax credits and more. Some incentives are ongoing, while others are offered for only a limited time. Local solar incentives could come from your county or municipality, or from the North Carolina government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Harrisburg
Solar incentives might be offered by the North Carolina government, the federal government or your local utility company. The variety of available incentives has helped nationwide use of solar energy increase greatly in the last 15 years. Contact your local solar panel installation company today to learn more and to save as much money as possible on solar panels for your Harrisburg home.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries (coming 2022)
Outstanding Regional Installer
Renu Energy Solutions
- Excellent reputation
- Many financing options
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- No leases or PPAs
EcoWatch's Harrisburg, NC Solar Incentives FAQs
What if I am planning to add a solar system to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property? Can I still qualify for incentives?
Many solar incentives are intended to apply to a property located within the United States that you own; most secondary residences fall into this category. Other solar incentives may be available for commercial properties, depending on the details. We recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to fully understand what incentives may apply to your specific situation.
What are some environmental benefits of installing solar panels on my home?
You can decrease your carbon footprint by 300 pounds of CO2 a year when you switch to solar panels. This adds up to around 6,000 pounds over 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, which means that switching your home over reduces the drain on our planet's resources.
How long until the federal solar tax credit ends?
The federal solar tax credit, formerly called the ITC and now called the Clean Energy Credit, is set to end January 1, 2035. The current 30% credit will end in 2032, replaced by a 26% credit in 2033 and a 22% credit in 2034.
If I trade in my appliances for ones that can utilize solar energy, are there any credits that I can claim?
The new Inflation Reduction Act creates several new financial incentives to encourage you to make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details about these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
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.