2024 Solar Incentives Guide for North Valley, NM - Tax Credits & Rebates

In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in North Valley.

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 North Valley solar installers to see how much you can save.

By EcoWatch Local Advisors

Data Analysis: James Savino

Ranking Methodology: Karsten Neumeister

Updated June 24, 2024

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We work with a panel of solar experts to create unbiased reviews that empower you to make the right choice for your home. No other site has covered renewables as long as us, which means we have more data and insider information than other sites. Our rankings are never affected by revenue or partnerships.

What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in North Valley?

Property Tax Exemption for Residential Solar Systems

Incentive Type:
Property Tax Incentive
Approximately 100%

Solar Energy Gross Receipts Tax Deduction

Incentive Type:
Sales Tax Incentive
100% of gross receipts from sale and installation of solar energy systems, dark-colored water tanks, and non-vented trombe walls

Geothermal Heat Pump Tax Credit (Personal)

Incentive Type:
Personal Tax Credit

Geothermal Heat Pump Tax Credit (Corporate)

Incentive Type:
Corporate Tax Credit

PNM - Performance-Based Solar Program

Incentive Type:
Performance-Based Incentive
$0.0025/kWh

Local Option - Renewable Energy Financing District/Solar Energy Improvement Special Assessments

Incentive Type:
PACE Financing
Determined locally

Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit

Incentive Type:
Personal Tax Credit
30% federal tax credit for systems placed in service after 12/31/2021 and before 01/01/2033. Good for: solar water heat, solar photovoltaics, biomass, geothermal heat pumps, wind (small), fuel cells using renewable fuels.

Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/


The phrase "solar incentives" broadly refers to financial incentives implemented by the government and by solar companies to encourage people to use renewable energy by making solar panels more affordable. Various 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 state of New Mexico, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while other incentives are federal. Categories of solar incentives include:

  • Net Metering: Don't forget to speak with your North Valley utility company about signing a net metering agreement. This will allow you to get a credit towards your utility bill every month for the value of excess energy your solar panels generate. You might receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
  • Tax Credits: Different from tax deductions, tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the government.
  • Tax Exemptions: Your solar panel system could qualify for exemptions on both sales and property tax. Sales tax exemptions come into effect at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you exclude the value added by your solar panels when calculating property taxes on your house.
  • Rebates: Solar rebates may be offered by your local utility company, or by your state or county. These rebates work as partial refunds that are applied after your purchase of a solar system and before tax credits are calculated.

Best for Leasing

Sunrun

★★★★★
4.0
  • Expansive service area
  • Many financing options
  • Some reported issues with customer service
  • Some reported issues with door-to-door sales

Best Technology

Tesla Energy

★★★★★
3.2
  • Price-match guarantee
  • Sleek, efficient, and durable solar panels
  • Best solar battery on the market
  • Some reported issues with customer service
  • Customer service varies by local dealer

Federal Solar Incentives

When someone says "solar incentives," you probably think of federal incentives first. The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, is the most well-known federal solar incentive. The ITC provides you with a tax credit for a predetermined percentage of your solar system's cost.

The ITC applies towards solar systems installed after January 1, 2006, and allows you to deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, accessories, labor and equipment. You can claim this credit for a solar panel system installed on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. The original claim amount was 30% of the total cost, although the amount you can claim may range between 26-30%. There is no maximum claim amount.

Have questions about how the ITC applies to your specific situation? Get in touch with your local North Valley solar panel installation expert to get more information.

The ITC was renewed and increased in scope after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. It's also now called the Clean Energy Credit. The Clean Energy Credit bolsters the current credit, increasing it up to 30% for solar installation projects started after January 1, 2022, and completed by the end of 2032. After this, the percentage will decrease slightly each year until the end of the program in 2035. Starting in 2023, the expansion to the program will also make it easier to get credit for energy storage systems.

More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. The best way to learn more about how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you is to get in touch with your local North Valley solar panel installation expert.

State & Local Solar Incentives

Some solar incentives are often also offered at the local or state level. Similar to federal incentives, these can include rebates, tax credits and more. These incentives — which might be handled by the state of New Mexico, or by your county or municipality — may be offered for only a limited time, or on an ongoing basis.

Next Steps for Installing Solar in North Valley

Solar incentives may be provided by your local utility company, the federal government or the New Mexico government. The large number 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 North Valley home.

EcoWatch's North Valley, NM Solar Incentives FAQs

How much can I save annually on my electric bill if I install solar panels on my house in North Valley?

Generally, homeowners in North Valley who install solar panels save about $1,363.25 per year, or about $25,901.67 over 20 years after they make the switch.

How long until the federal solar tax credit ends?

The federal solar tax credit, formerly known as the ITC and now named 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.

If I trade in my appliances for ones that use solar energy, are there any benefits that I can claim?

The new Inflation Reduction Act includes provisions for several incentives designed to reward homeowners who make eco-friendly upgrades. Some incentives include rebates and tax credits for installing new electric appliances. You can find more details about these incentives here.

Can I claim incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?

The order your incentives will be applied in may vary depending on which incentives you are claiming but generally yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Talk with your solar installer or a local tax professional to make sure you are claiming all possible incentives 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.

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