2025 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 2024 and beyond)
  • Ways to optimize your solar investment

Solar installers are experts in maximizing your solar tax credits and rebates.
Get a free quote from one of our trusted Kent solar installers to see how much you can save.

By EcoWatch Local Advisors

Data Analysis: James Savino

Ranking Methodology: Karsten Neumeister

Updated January 24, 2025

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We work with a panel of solar experts to create unbiased reviews that empower you to make the right choice for your home. No other site has covered renewables as long as us, which means we have more data and insider information than other sites. Our rankings are never affected by revenue or partnerships.

What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Kent?

State of NY Commercial PACE Financing Program

Incentive Type:
PACE Financing
Locally determined

Residential Solar Tax Credit

Incentive Type:
Personal Tax Credit
25% for solar-electric (PV) and solar-thermal systems; for third-party owned systems this is in reference to the aggregate amount owed under the contract rather than the amount owed in any single year

Refundable Clean Heating Fuel Tax Credit (Corporate)

Incentive Type:
Corporate Tax Credit
$0.01/gallon for each percent of biodiesel

NY-Sun Loan Program

Incentive Type:
Loan Program
Residential Customers: $1,500 - $25,000

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

Incentive Type:
Sales Tax Incentive
100% exemption

Local Option - Solar Sales Tax Exemption

Incentive Type:
Sales Tax Incentive
Upon local authorization, 100% exemption from local sales tax

Solar Sales Tax Exemption

Incentive Type:
Sales Tax Incentive
100% exemption from state sales tax

Local Option - Real Property Tax Exemption for Green Buildings

Incentive Type:
Property Tax Incentive
Upon local adoption, 20% - 100% of real property taxes owed; varies by year and certification level

Energy Conservation Improvements Property Tax Exemption

Incentive Type:
Property Tax Incentive
100% of the value added to the residence by the improvements

Local Option - Solar, Wind & Biomass Energy Systems Exemption

Incentive Type:
Property Tax Incentive
100% exemption for 15 years (unless local jurisdiction has opted out)

NY-Sun PV Incentive Program (Residential, Low-Income, and Small Business)

Incentive Type:
Rebate Program
Incentive rates step down over time as MW goals are met. Incentive rates as of 11/27/2019 are:

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

Incentive Type:
Rebate Program
Small Systems (≤ 10 cooling tons): $1,500/cooling ton
Large Systems (> 10 cooling tons): $1,200/cooling ton

Home Performance with ENERGY STAR

Incentive Type:
Loan Program

NY Green Bank

Incentive Type:
Other Incentive

Refundable Clean Heating Fuel Tax Credit (Personal)

Incentive Type:
Personal Tax Credit
$0.01/gallon for each percent of biodiesel

On-Site Wind Incentive Program

Incentive Type:
Rebate Program
Tier I: 10,000 kWh of expected annual energy production: $3.50/annual kWh
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

Incentive Type:
Performance-Based 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

Incentive Type:
Personal Tax Credit
30% federal tax credit for systems placed in service after 12/31/2021 and before 01/01/2033. Good for: solar water heat, solar photovoltaics, biomass, geothermal heat pumps, wind (small), fuel cells using renewable fuels.

Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/


Solar incentives are intended to encourage people to switch to renewable energy by providing financial incentives meant to lower the burden of solar panel installation and use. You might be eligible for different kinds of incentives, such as cash back, discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill, depending on your situation. Some incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the state of New York and others from the federal government. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:

  • Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions go into effect at the time of purchase for your solar panels. Property tax exemptions allow you to ignore the value that your solar panels add when you calculate how much property tax you need to pay.
  • Net Metering: Net metering becomes relevant after your solar panels are up and running. If you have a net metering agreement with your Kent utility company, the company 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 other areas you might receive a refund equivalent to a percentage of the value.
  • Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund after the purchase of your solar panels. Rebates might be offered by your local utility company, your state or your county. The rebates are usually applied before tax credits are calculated.
  • Tax Credits: Tax credits decrease, dollar-for-dollar, the total amount of tax you owe the federal government. These are different from tax deductions.
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Federal Solar Incentives

Federal solar incentives are likely to be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about solar incentives. The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, is the most well-known federal solar incentive. The ITC allows you to claim a tax credit for a predetermined percentage of the cost of your solar system.

The ITC can be applied to solar panels installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar system must have been installed after January 1, 2006, on a property you own for you to be eligible for the credit. The ITC initially covered 30% of all system installation costs (panels, equipment, accessories and labor), although this amount has fluctuated over the years between 26-30%. The amount you qualify for will depend on when your solar system was installed. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.

To better understand how the ITC may apply to your situation, get in touch with your local Kent solar panel installer and ask for more information.

The ITC was both renewed and expanded by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. It's also now called the Clean Energy Credit. The new Clean Energy Credit extends until 2035. You can now receive a 30% credit for solar systems installed between 2022 and 2032. The credit will then be decreased by a few percentage points every year until it expires. Starting in 2023, the expansion to the program will also make it easier to get credit for energy storage systems.

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 regarding the new Clean Energy Credit and how it may apply to you.

State & Local Solar Incentives

Some solar incentives may be offered at the local or state level. As with federal incentives, these could include tax credits, rebates and more. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others might 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 Kent

There are many kinds of solar incentives: those provided by local utility companies, those provided by the New York government and those given by the federal government, to name a few. The use of solar energy has grown tremendously in the last 15 years, thanks to these incentives. We suggest talking to your local Kent solar installation expert to learn more about these incentives and to ensure that you're getting all the money you can for your solar panels.

EcoWatch's Kent, NY Solar Incentives FAQs

How much will a solar system save me on my electric bill in Kent annually?

After adding solar panels to your Kent home, you can expect to save around $851.54 per year, or about $16,179.28 over the next 20 years.

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.

What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar?

Solar energy is a renewable energy source — by changing where you get your energy, you help lessen the strain on our planet's resources. Solar panels can also lower the CO2 emissions from your home by 100 pounds yearly, or around 2,000 pounds over 20 years.

What if I want to add a solar system to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property? Do I still qualify for incentives?

Many solar incentives are intended to apply to a property located within the United States that you own; most secondary residences fall under this distinction. There may be other solar incentives available for commercial properties, depending on the details. We recommend speaking with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to fully understand what incentives apply to your specific situation.

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.

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