2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Chatham, NY - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Chatham.
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 September 15, 2023
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Chatham?
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 via financial incentives for those who install solar panels on their homes. Different types of incentives, such as cash back, discounts or monthly utility bill credits, may be available to you. Some incentives may be handled by the state of New York, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while other incentives are federal. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions can come in two forms. First, there is sales tax exemption, which is applied when you purchase solar panels. The second is property tax exemption, which allows you to exclude the value added by your solar system when calculating property tax for your home.
- Rebates: Solar rebates may be provided by your county or state, or by your local utility company. These rebates work as cash back that is applied after your purchase of solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Credits: Different from tax deductions, tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the government.
- Net Metering: Make sure you speak to your Chatham utility company about signing a net metering contract. This will allow you to receive credit towards your monthly utility bill 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.
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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 certain percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC applies towards solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 and under this program you can deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, labor, equipment and accessories. This credit can be claimed on a solar panel system installed on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. Originally, you could claim 30% of the total cost, although depending on when the project was completed, your credit may range from 26-30%. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
To better understand exactly how much the ITC could save you, get in touch with your local Chatham solar panel installation expert.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, made some changes to the ITC (as well as retitling it 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. At this point, the credit percentage will be reduced slightly each year until the program expires in 2035. The expansion also makes it easier to get credit for energy storage systems, starting in 2023.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Chatham solar panel company is the best resource for answering your questions about the new Clean Energy Credit and how it may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be provided at the state and local level. Similar to federal incentives, these could include rebates, tax credits and more. These incentives might be given out by your county or municipality, or by the New York government. Some are ongoing, while others are available for a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Chatham
You can receive solar incentives from the New York government and the federal government, as well as from your local utility company. The increased availability of solar initiatives in the past 15 years has helped greatly increase nationwide adoption of solar energy. If you're prepared to make the change to solar energy, calling your local Chatham solar panel installation expert is an excellent place to start.
EcoWatch's Chatham, NY Solar Incentives FAQs
How much can I save annually on my electric bill if I add solar panels to my house in Chatham?
After adding solar panels to your Chatham home, you can expect to save around $698.36 per year, or around $13,268.76 over the next 20 years.
What are the best solar panel installation companies near me?
To find the best solar panel installer in your area, check out our guide to the top solar companies in Chatham.
I want to trade in my old appliances for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any benefits I can claim?
The new Inflation Reduction Act provides multiple incentives meant to reward homeowners who make eco-friendly upgrades. Some incentives include tax credits and rebates 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?
Yes, you can receive both rebates and tax credits towards the cost of solar panels. Depending on precisely which incentives you are eligible for, they may apply in a different order. Make sure that you talk to your solar installer or a local tax professional to ensure that you are claiming the correct incentives and getting the most money possible.
Can I use solar and another type of renewable energy in combination to power my home?
Yes, you can employ multiple types of renewable energy to power your home — for example, a combination of solar and geothermal. You can also combine renewable energy generation with a non-renewable backup source of energy. Make sure that you discuss your proposed plan with your local Chatham 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.
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.