2025 Solar Incentives Guide for Huntersville, NC - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Huntersville.
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 Huntersville?
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/
The term "solar incentives" refers to a range of financial incentives implemented to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. Different kinds of incentives, such as cash back, discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill, may be available to you. Certain incentives may be offered by the North Carolina government, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while others are federal. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions are applied at the time of purchase for your solar system. Property tax exemptions allow you to ignore the value added by your solar system when you're calculating the amount of property tax you need to pay.
- Rebates: Solar rebates might be offered by your county or state, or by your local utility company. These rebates are essentially partial refunds that are applied after you pay for solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): In most cases, solar systems that produce over a specific (usually small) amount of electricity will qualify for SRECs or other similar performance-based incentives. SRECs and performance-based incentives in general are typically provided by your state government. SRECs can be sold to your utility company or another buyer, and this is usually considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits decrease, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax you owe the federal government. Tax credits differ from tax deductions.
- Net Metering: You can sign a net metering agreement with your Huntersville utility company. This agreement may apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity that is generated by your solar panels. They will then subtract this value from your utility bill each month.
Federal Solar Incentives
When thinking about solar incentives, you likely think of federal incentives first. The solar incentive that you're most likely to have heard of is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which provides a credit on your taxes equal to a specified percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC initially applied to 30% of the cost of installing solar panels, although that number has fluctuated slightly over the last few years between 26-30%. The percentage you qualify for will depend on when your solar system was installed. The total installation cost includes the panels themselves as well as the cost of equipment, labor and accessories. There is no maximum claim amount. The ITC applies to solar panels installed after January 1, 2006, on your primary or secondary residence. The residence must be in the United States and owned by you.
Your local Huntersville solar panel installer can provide more information about the ITC and how it may apply to your situation.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, expanded and extended the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). Homeowners can now receive 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. The credit percentage will then decrease annually until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. The best way to learn more about how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you is to talk with your local Huntersville solar panel company.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be provided at the state and local level. Similar to federal incentives, these might include tax credits, rebates and more. Incentives might be handled by the state of North Carolina, or by your county or municipality. Some incentives are available for only a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Huntersville
Solar incentives might be offered by the North Carolina government, the federal government or your local utility company. The large number of available incentives has facilitated the nationwide growth of solar energy use in the last 15 years. 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 Huntersville home.
EcoWatch's Huntersville, NC Solar Incentives FAQs
My home already has solar panels. Do I qualify for any 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 you had your system installed between 2006 and 2021, you might qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the exact installation date. Talking to the company that installed your system, or any local Huntersville solar installer, can help you learn what incentives you might want to apply for.
What are some environmental benefits of adding solar panels to my home?
Solar energy is renewable — by changing where you get your energy, you can help reduce the strain on our planet's resources. Solar panels can also lower the CO2 emissions from your home by 300 pounds yearly, or roughly 6,000 pounds in 20 years.
Can I claim incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
Yes, you can receive both rebates and tax credits towards the cost of your solar panels. Depending on which incentives you are claiming, they may apply in a different order. Make sure that you speak with your solar installer or a local tax professional to ensure that you are claiming the correct incentives and that you're getting the most money you can.
Can I use a combination of multiple types of renewable energy to power my home?
Yes, you can utilize multiple types of renewable energy to power your home, such as a combination of solar and wind power. You can also use both renewable energy sources and a backup source of non-renewable energy. Be sure to discuss your proposed plan with your local Huntersville solar installation expert, to make sure you know what you'll need and what kinds of incentives you may or may not qualify for.
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.