2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Rensselaer, NY - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Rensselaer.
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 Rensselaer?
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. Financial incentives like these are intended to encourage more Americans to switch their home over to renewable energy. Different kinds of incentives, like discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill, may be available to you. Certain incentives may be provided via the New York government, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while others are federal. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions can come in two forms. First, there is sales tax exemption, applied at the time you purchase your solar panels. The second is property tax exemption, which allows you to ignore the added value of your solar system when paying property tax on your house.
- Rebates: Solar rebates might be provided by your state or county, or by your local utility company. These rebates are essentially partial refunds that are applied after your purchase of solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Credits: These credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much in taxes you owe the government.
- Net Metering: Net metering becomes relevant after your solar panels are up and running. If you've signed a net metering agreement with your Rensselaer utility company, they will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your monthly utility bill. In some locations, this credit is dollar-for-dollar, while in other areas you might be refunded a percentage of the value.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are likely the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about solar incentives. An incentive that most people are likely to be familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This is a tax credit for a specified percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC can be applied to a solar system installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar system must have been installed on a property you own after January 1, 2006 for you to claim the credit. The ITC initially covered 30% of all system costs (panels, accessories, labor and equipment), although the amount has fluctuated slightly over the years between 26-30%. The installation date of your solar system will determine what percentage you are eligible for. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.
To understand exactly how much the ITC could save you, get in touch with your local Rensselaer solar panel installation expert.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, made some changes to the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). Under the new program, solar installation projects begun after January 1, 2022 and finished by December 31, 2032 can qualify for a 30% tax credit. This percentage will then see a slight annual decrease until the end of the current Clean Energy Credit in 2035. The expansion to the program also makes credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim, beginning in 2023.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Rensselaer solar panel installation experts can answer your questions and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also provided by state and local governments. Similar to federal incentives, these can include tax credits, rebates and more. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others are offered for only a limited time. Your local incentives might come from your county or municipality, or from the New York government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Rensselaer
Solar incentives may come from your local utility company, the federal government or the New York government. The variety of available solar incentives has helped nationwide use of solar energy increase greatly in the last 15 years. If you're ready to switch over to solar energy, calling your local Rensselaer solar panel installation expert is an excellent place to start.
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EcoWatch's Rensselaer, NY Solar Incentives FAQs
What if I want to add a solar system to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property? Will I still qualify for incentives?
While we recommend speaking with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to fully understand what solar incentives apply to you, many will apply to 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.
How much can I save annually on my electric bill if I install solar panels on my Rensselaer home?
On average, Rensselaer homeowners who install solar panels save about $679.63 per year, or about $12,913.03 over 20 years after they make the switch.
What are the environmental benefits of switching to solar?
You can lower your carbon footprint by 100 pounds of CO2 a year by switching to solar panels. This adds up to roughly 2,000 pounds over 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, which means that switching your home over lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
Can I use a combination of multiple types of renewable energy to power my home?
Yes, you can employ multiple types of renewable energy to power your home, such as a combination of wind and solar. You can also combine renewable energy generation with a non-renewable backup source of energy. Be sure to discuss your plan with your local Rensselaer solar installation expert, to get an understanding of what will be needed and what kinds of 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.