2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Auburn, NY - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Auburn.
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 Auburn?
State of NY Commercial PACE Financing Program
Residential Solar Tax Credit
Refundable Clean Heating Fuel Tax Credit (Corporate)
NY-Sun Loan Program
Small Business and Not-for-Profit Organizations:
Participation Loans: up to $100,000 (at low interest rate)
On-Bill Recovery loans: $50,000 at 2%
Residential Wood Heating Fuel Exemption
Local Option - Solar Sales Tax Exemption
Solar Sales Tax Exemption
Local Option - Real Property Tax Exemption for Green Buildings
Energy Conservation Improvements Property Tax Exemption
Local Option - Solar, Wind & Biomass Energy Systems Exemption
NY-Sun PV Incentive Program (Residential, Low-Income, and Small Business)
Residential:
Long Island Region: $0.00/W (MW blocks have been fully subscribed)
Con Edison Region: $0.30/W
Upstate Region: $0.35/W
Low-to-Moderate income customers: $0.80/W (up to 10 kW)
Small Commercial (Non-Residential):Long Island Region: $0.00/W (MW blocks have been fully subscribed)
Con Edison Region: $0.60/W
Up State Region: $0.45/W
Multifamily Affordable Housing Adder: additional $0.40/W (up to 50 kW)
Ground Source Heat Pump Rebate Program
Large Systems (> 10 cooling tons): $1,200/cooling ton
Home Performance with ENERGY STAR
Refundable Clean Heating Fuel Tax Credit (Personal)
On-Site Wind Incentive Program
Tier II: 10,000 kWh - 125,000 kWh of expected annual energy production: $1.00/annual kWh
Tier III: 125,000 kWh - 1,000,000 kWh of expected annual energy production: $0.30/ annual kWh
Tier IV: Greater than 1,000,000 kWh of expected annual energy production: $0.15/ annual kWh
These incentives are additive.
Anaerobic Digester Gas-to-Electricity Rebate and Performance Incentive
- Capacity Incentive: Varies on the construction and design of the system
- Performance Incentive: $0.025/kWh production payment for new systems for up to 10 years (estimated using a capacity factor of 75%)
- Interconnection Incentive: up to 75% of the costs exceeding $5,000
- Project Enhancement Incentives: Available for Black Start Capability, Hydrogen Sulfide reduction, design for accepting food waste and others
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are designed to make renewable energy usage more affordable through financial incentives for those who install solar panels on their homes. Incentives may include things like discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are provided by the federal government, while others are offered by the New York government or your utility company, county or municipality. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions go into effect at the point of sale for your solar system. Property tax exemptions allow you to exclude the added value of your solar system when you calculate the amount of property tax you need to pay on your home.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much in taxes you owe the government.
- Net Metering: Net metering factors in after your solar panels are up and running. If you've signed a net metering agreement with your Auburn utility company, the company will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your utility bill each month. In some places, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in other places you may make back a percentage of the value.
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund credited to your account after you've paid for your solar panels. Rebates could be offered by your local utility company, your state or your county. The rebates are usually applied before tax credits are calculated.
Best National Provider
SunPower
- Most efficient panels on the market
- National coverage
- Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
- Great warranty coverage
- Expensive
- Customer service varies by local dealer
Best Regional Coverage
Momentum Solar
- Great warranty coverage
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- Concierge service ensures steady communication
- Slightly limited service offerings
Best for Leasing
Sunrun
- Expansive service area
- Many financing options
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Some reported issues with door-to-door sales
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are probably the first thing that you think of when thinking about solar incentives. You might have 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 originally covered 30% of the total cost of installing solar panels, and has fluctuated slightly over the years between 26-30%. The percentage you qualify for will depend on when your solar system was installed. The total cost of installation includes the panels themselves as well as the cost of labor, accessories and equipment. There is no maximum claim amount. The ITC applies to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006, on your primary or secondary residence. The residence must be in the United States and owned by you.
To know exactly how much the ITC could save you, contact your local Auburn solar panel installer.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, expanded and extended the ITC (as well as retitling it the Clean Energy Credit). Homeowners can now receive a credit of 30% of the total solar system installation costs for projects started after January 1, 2022, and completed before the end of 2032. This percentage will then begin to decrease on a yearly basis until the Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, it will also be easier to qualify for credits for energy storage systems under the new laws.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Auburn solar panel installers are the best people to answer your questions regarding the new Clean Energy Credit and how it may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Tax credits, rebates and more might be claimed at multiple levels. In addition to federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones, too. Some incentives are ongoing, while others are available for a limited time. These incentives may be offered by your county or municipality, or by the New York government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Auburn
Solar energy use nationwide has increased enormously in the past 15 years, in part thanks to the growth in the number of solar incentives. You may get these incentives from your local utility company, the New York government or the federal government. Reaching out to your local Auburn solar panel installer is a great first step towards getting all the incentives you qualify for when you switch to solar energy.
EcoWatch's Auburn, NY Solar Incentives FAQs
How do I know if I qualify for different solar incentives?
Broadly, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar system
- installed on a property that you own
- within the U.S.
- within the date range specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including ones handled by the New York government or by your county/municipality, may have additional qualifications. Talk to your local Auburn solar installer to find out what incentives your project will qualify for.
If I installed solar panels on my house a few years ago, can I still claim incentives?
An excellent idea would be to talk to the company that installed your system – or call a local Auburn solar installer — to better understand which incentives you may qualify for. If your system was installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Solar systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
How much can I save annually on my electric bill if I add solar panels to my house in Auburn?
When you add solar panels to your Auburn home, you can expect to save around $659.43 per year, or around $12,529.19 over 20 years.
Can I apply for incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order in which incentives are applied might 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. Talk 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 solar and another type of renewable energy in combination 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. Be sure to talk through your plan with your local Auburn solar installation expert. They can help you as you plan for your project and also help you understand the various incentives that you will or won't 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.