2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Dover, NY - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Dover.
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 Dover?
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 encourage homeowners to make the switch to renewable energy by offering financial incentives meant to lower the burden of solar panel installation and use. These incentives may include upfront discounts, cash back or monthly credits towards your utility bill. Some incentives are provided by the federal government, some by the New York government and some by your utility company, county or municipality. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Net Metering: Make sure you talk to your Dover utility company about signing a net metering agreement. This will allow you to get a credit towards your monthly utility bill for the value of excess energy generated by your solar panels. You may receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar system might qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions are effective at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions allow you to ignore the value that solar panels add when you are calculating property taxes on your home.
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund after the purchase of your solar panels. These could be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The rebates are usually applied before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much in taxes you owe the government.
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Federal Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are likely to be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about solar incentives. A federal incentive many people are probably familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This is a tax credit for a given percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC is applied to the total cost of solar panel installation, including the panels themselves as well as accessories, labor and equipment. You can claim this credit for panels installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence that you own, as long as it is located in the United States. From its original value of 30% of the total cost, the credit has fluctuated slightly between 26-30%, and you may qualify for varying percentages depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
To more fully understand how the ITC could apply to you, call your local Dover solar panel installation expert and ask for more information.
In August 2022, the ITC (now referred to as the Clean Energy Credit) was expanded and extended by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. 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 be reduced slightly each year until the program expires in 2035. The expansion to the program also makes claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before, beginning in 2023.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. To better understand how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you, get in touch with your local Dover solar installers.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also provided by state and local governments. Similar to federal incentives, these may include tax credits, rebates and more. Incentives may be provided by your county or municipality, or by the state of New York. Certain incentives may be available for only a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Dover
There are a variety of solar incentives: those offered by the federal government, those offered by the New York government and those offered by local utility companies, to name a few. Solar energy utilization has increased tremendously in the last 15 years, partially due to these incentives. Reaching out to your local Dover solar panel installer is the right first step towards making sure you get all the incentives you qualify for when you switch to solar energy.
EcoWatch's Dover, NY Solar Incentives FAQs
Can I receive any incentives when I add solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property?
While we recommend speaking with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what solar incentives apply to you, many apply to a second home, provided that it is in the United States and owned by you. There may be other incentives available specifically for commercial properties, depending on the details.
How can I learn if I qualify for solar incentives?
Generally, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar system
- installed on a property that you own
- within the U.S.
- between the dates specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including those run by the New York government or by your county/municipality, sometimes have additional qualifications. Get in touch with your local Dover solar installer to discover what incentives your project may qualify for.
If my house already has solar panels, can I still claim incentives?
If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. If your system was installed between 2006 and 2021, you might qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the date of installation. Talking to the company that installed your solar system, or any local Dover solar installer, can help you understand what incentives you qualify for.
What are the top solar panel installation companies near me?
To find a top-rated solar panel installer, check out our guide to Dover's top solar panel companies.
Can I use multiple types of renewable energy 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 use both renewable energy sources and a non-renewable backup source of energy. Be sure to discuss the details of your plan with your local Dover solar panel installer, to get an understanding of what will be needed and what incentives 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.