2025 Solar Incentives Guide for Kearney, NE - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Kearney.
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.
Get a free quote from one of our trusted Kearney solar installers to see how much you can save.
Please enter a valid 5-digit zip code!
Why you can trust EcoWatch
What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Kearney?
Dollar and Energy Savings Loans
Residential: $125,000;
Multifamily dwellings with 3 or more units: $250,000
Non-Residential: $500,000;
Home Electronics: $25,000;
Office Electronics: $50,000
Alternative Fuel Projects: $500,000
Telecommunications Projects: $250,000
Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Community Renewable Energy Projects
Local Option - Property-Assessed Clean Energy Financing
Southern Power District - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Programs
Heat Pump: $400-$3,300
Attic Insulation: $0.15/sq. ft.
HVAC Tune-Up: $30
Water heater: $300-$680
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
The phrase "solar incentives" covers a range of financial incentives put in place to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. You might be eligible for several types of incentives, such as cash back, discounts or monthly utility bill credits, depending on your situation. Some incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the state of Nebraska and others from the federal government. Categories of solar incentives include:
- Net Metering: You can sign a net metering contract with your Kearney utility company, that may apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity your solar panels generate. They will then deduct this value from your utility bill each month.
- Tax Exemptions: These may come in the form of property tax exemptions, which let you ignore the value of your solar system when calculating the taxes you pay on your home. You could also look for exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
- Tax Credits: Unlike tax deductions, tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the government.
- Rebates: Some solar companies will help you claim a rebate, or partial refund after purchase, for your solar panels. Counties or states will also offer limited-time rebates at various times. Any rebates you receive will usually come off the total price before tax credits are calculated.
Federal Solar Incentives
When you think about solar incentives, you likely think of federal incentives first. One of the incentives many people are likely to be familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). The ITC is a tax credit for a predetermined percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC applies to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. The credit initially covered 30% of the total cost – for panels, labor, accessories and equipment – although the percentage may range from 26-30%, depending on when your solar system was installed. There is no cap on the claim amount.
To better understand exactly how much the ITC could save you, speak with your local Kearney solar panel installer.
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. Under the new program, solar installation projects that are completed between 2022 and 2032, can 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. The expansion also makes credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim, starting in 2023.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Kearney solar panel installers are the best people to answer your questions regarding the new Clean Energy Credit and how it will apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Tax credits, rebates and more can be provided at multiple levels. Along with federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones, too. These incentives might be provided by the Nebraska government, or by your county or municipality. Some are ongoing, while others are available for a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Kearney
There are many kinds of solar incentives: those offered by local utility companies, those given by the Nebraska government and those provided by the federal government, to name a few. Solar energy use has increased tremendously in the last 15 years, partially due to these incentives. Call your local solar panel installation company today to learn more and to save as much money as possible on solar panels for your Kearney home.
EcoWatch's Kearney, NE Solar Incentives FAQs
How can I find out if I qualify for solar incentives?
Broadly, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar system
- installed on property you own
- within the U.S.
- between the dates specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including ones handled by the Nebraska government or by your county/municipality, sometimes have additional qualifications. Speak with your local Kearney solar installer to discover what incentives your project may qualify for.
What are the environmental benefits of switching to solar energy?
You can decrease your carbon footprint by 500 pounds of CO2 a year when you install 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 lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
When does the federal solar tax credit end?
The federal solar tax credit, formerly known as the ITC and now titled the Clean Energy Credit, is scheduled to end on January 1, 2035. The current 30% credit will end in 2032, replaced by a 26% credit in 2033 and a 22% credit in 2034.
Can I apply for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order that incentives will be applied in may vary depending on which incentives you are eligible for but in most cases yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Speak to your solar installer or a local tax professional to confirm 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 Kearney solar installation expert. They can help you plan your project and also help you understand the various incentives that you might or might 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.
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.