2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Kent, NY - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Kent.
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 May 04, 2023
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Kent?
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 encourage homeowners to switch to renewable energy by providing incentives that lower the financial burden of solar panel installation and use. Incentives may include things like discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits. Some incentives are offered by the federal government, while others are handled by the state of New York or by your specific utility company, county or municipality. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions go into effect at the point of sale for your solar panels. Property tax exemptions allow you to exclude the value that your solar panels add when you're calculating how much property tax you need to pay on your home.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in the amount of tax that you owe the government.
- Rebates: Solar rebates can be offered by your county or state, or by your local utility company. These rebates are essentially cash back that is applied after you pay for solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Net Metering: Net metering is an incentive you can get once your solar system is up and running. If you have a net metering agreement with your Kent utility company, it will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your monthly utility bill. In some areas, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in other places you may get refunded a percentage of the value.
Federal Solar Incentives
When thinking about solar incentives, you probably 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 gives you a credit on your taxes equal to a predetermined percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC covers solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 and lets you deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, equipment, labor and accessories. You can receive this credit for 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 claim amount.
Your local Kent solar panel installation expert can offer more information about the ITC and how it might apply to your situation.
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 re-raises the credit up to 30% for solar systems installed between 2022 and 2032. At this point, the credit percentage will see a slight decrease annually until the program expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Kent solar panel installers are the best people to answer your questions about the new Clean Energy Credit and how it may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Rebates, tax credits and more can be claimed at multiple levels. Along with federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones, too. Some incentives are offered for only a limited time, while others are ongoing. Your local solar incentives may come from the New York government, or from your specific county or municipality.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Kent
There are a variety of solar incentives: those provided by local utility companies, those provided by the federal government and those provided by the New York government, to name a few. The use of solar energy has increased tremendously in the last 15 years, thanks to these incentives. If you're prepared to switch over to solar energy, talking to your local Kent solar panel installation expert is a great first step.
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EcoWatch's Kent, NY Solar Incentives FAQs
Can I claim incentives for adding solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property?
Many solar incentives apply to a property located within the United States that you own; most secondary residences will fall into this category. Other solar incentives may be available for commercial properties, depending on the specifics. We recommend speaking with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what incentives will apply to your specific situation.
If I installed solar panels on my house a few years ago, can I still claim incentives?
You should plan to talk to the company that installed your solar panels — or get in touch with a local Kent 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 newly 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%.
What are the top solar panel installation companies near me?
To find the right solar panel installer for you, check out our guide to the top solar companies in Kent.
I want to change out my appliances for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any incentives I can claim?
The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act includes provisions for multiple incentives that reward homeowners for making eco-friendly upgrades. Some of these incentives include tax credits and rebates for installing new electric appliances. You can find more details about these incentives here.
Can I use a combination of solar and another type 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 wind power. You can also use both renewable energy sources and a backup source of non-renewable energy. Make sure that you discuss your proposed plan with your local Kent solar installation expert, so that you understand what you'll need 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.