2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Rome, NY - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Rome.
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 March 14, 2023
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Rome?
State of NY Commercial PACE Financing Program
Residential Solar Tax Credit
Refundable Clean Heating Fuel Tax Credit (Corporate)
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 that lower the burden of solar panel installation and use. Solar incentives may include upfront discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are handled by the federal government, some by the New York government and some by your utility company, county or municipality. Categories of solar incentives include:
- Net Metering: You can sign a net metering agreement with your Rome utility company. This agreement may apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity your solar panels generate. They will then deduct this value from your utility bill each month.
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions can come in one of two forms. The first is sales tax exemption, which is 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 calculating property tax for your house.
- Rebates: A solar rebate is a partial refund after the purchase of your solar system. Rebates could be offered by your local utility company, your state or your county. The cash back that you get from the rebates is normally applied before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government. (This is different from a tax deduction.)
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are likely to be the first thing that you think of when you think about solar incentives. You might have heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. The ITC is a tax credit equal to a specified percentage of the money you spend installing solar panels.
The ITC applies to a solar system installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar panels have to have been installed after January 1, 2006 on a property you own for you to be eligible for the credit. The ITC originally paid out 30% of all costs (panels, labor, equipment and accessories), although this amount has fluctuated slightly over the last few 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.
Your local Rome solar panel installation expert can provide more information about the ITC and how it may apply to your situation.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, added more provisions to the ITC (as well as retitling it the Clean Energy Credit). The Clean Energy Credit has increased the current credit up to 30% for solar systems installed between 2022 and 2032. After 2032, the percentage will decrease slightly each year until the end of the program in 2035. The expansion to the program also makes credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim, beginning in 2023.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. Your local Rome solar panel installer can answer any questions you have and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Tax credits, rebates and more can be provided at multiple levels. Along with federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones, too. Some incentives are ongoing, while others are offered for only a limited time. Your local solar incentives might come from the New York government, or from your specific county or municipality.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Rome
Nationwide solar energy use has increased enormously in the past 15 years, in part due to the growth in the number of solar incentives. You can obtain these incentives from your local utility company, the New York government or the federal government. Talking to your local Rome solar panel installation company is the right first step towards getting all the incentives you qualify for when you switch to solar energy.
Best Regional Coverage
Momentum Solar
- Great warranty coverage
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- Concierge service ensures steady communication
- Slightly limited service offerings
Best Technology
Tesla Energy
- Price-match guarantee
- Sleek, efficient, and durable solar panels
- Best solar battery on the market
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Customer service varies by local dealer
EcoWatch's Rome, NY Solar Incentives FAQs
How much will a solar system save me on my electric bill in Rome annually?
On average, Rome homeowners who install solar panels save about $701.64 per year, or about $13,331.09 over 20 years after they make the switch.
What are some environmental benefits of adding solar panels to my house?
Solar energy is a renewable energy source — by switching where you get your energy, you can help reduce the strain on our planet's resources. A solar system can also reduce the CO2 emissions from your home by 100 pounds annually, or roughly 2,000 pounds in 20 years.
I want to switch my appliances out for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any benefits I can apply for?
The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act includes provisions for a number of incentives meant to 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 receive incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order that incentives will be applied in may vary depending on which incentives you are eligible for but in most cases yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Speak to your solar installer or a local tax professional to verify you are claiming all of the incentives you qualify for and applying them in the correct order.
Can I use solar and another type of renewable energy in combination to power my home?
You can use multiple types of renewable energy, or a combination of renewable and non-renewable energy, to power your home. Be sure to discuss your plan with your local Rome solar installer. They can help you with the plan for your project and give you an understanding of various incentives that you will or won't 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.