2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Colonie, NY - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Colonie.
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 Colonie?
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 mitigate the cost of installing solar panels on your home. These financial incentives are intended to encourage more homeowners to switch to renewable energy. These incentives can include upfront discounts, cash back or monthly credits towards your utility bill. Some incentives are given by the federal government, some by the New York government and some by your utility company, county or municipality. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- 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 added value of your solar system when calculating property tax for your house.
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund given after you've purchased your solar panels. Rebates might be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The discount that rebates offer is normally applied to the price of solar panels before calculating tax credits.
- Net Metering: Net metering becomes relevant after your solar panels are up and running. If you have in place a net metering agreement with your Colonie utility company, it will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your monthly utility bill. In some places, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in others you may receive a refund equivalent to a percentage of the value.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions that lower the amount of income tax you owe the government. (This is different from a tax deduction.)
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
When you hear the term "solar incentives," federal incentives are likely the first thing that comes to mind. An incentive many people are probably familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This incentive is a tax credit for a specified percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC applies towards solar systems installed after January 1, 2006, and lets you deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, accessories, equipment and labor. This credit can apply towards a solar panel system installed on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. The original amount you could claim was 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.
Wondering how the ITC applies to your specific situation? Reach out to your local Colonie solar panel installer 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. Homeowners can now qualify for a credit equal to 30% of the total costs of solar system installation for projects started after January 1, 2022, and completed before the end of 2032. The credit percentage will then begin to decrease annually until the Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, the expansion will also make claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Colonie solar panel company is the best resource for answering your questions regarding the new Clean Energy Credit and how it will apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also offered at the local or state level. As with federal incentives, these may include rebates, tax credits and more. Some incentives are ongoing, while others may only be available for a limited time. They may be offered by your county or municipality, or by the New York government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Colonie
There are a number of different solar incentives: those given by local utility companies, those offered by the federal government and those provided by the New York government, to name a few. The use of solar energy has increased enormously in the last 15 years, partially due to these incentives. Contact your local solar panel installation company today to find out more information and to save the most money possible on solar panels for your Colonie home.
EcoWatch's Colonie, NY Solar Incentives FAQs
My home already has solar panels installed. Does my system qualify for any incentives?
You should plan to talk to a representative from the company that installed your solar panels – or get in touch with a local Colonie solar installer — to better understand which incentives you might qualify for. If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
How much will solar panels save me annually on my electric bill in Colonie?
When you add solar panels to your home in Colonie, you can expect to save around $721.49 per year, or around $13,708.24 over 20 years.
Who installs solar panels near me?
To find a top-rated solar panel installer, check out our guide to the top solar companies in Colonie.
I want to switch my appliances out for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any incentives I can claim?
The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act introduces multiple incentives designed to reward homeowners for making 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 get any financial incentives when I add solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property?
While we recommend getting in touch with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what solar incentives apply to you, many incentives can be claimed on a second home, so long as that home is in the United States and owned by you. There may be additional incentives available for commercial properties specifically, depending on the details.
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.