2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Somers, NY - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Somers.
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 Somers?
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 meant to help mitigate the cost of installing solar panels on your home. This category of financial incentives is intended to encourage more Americans to switch their home over to renewable energy. Incentives might include things like discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are offered federally, while others are offered by the New York government or your utility company, county or municipality. Categories of solar incentives include:
- Tax Credits: Tax credits decrease, dollar-for-dollar, the total amount of tax you owe the federal government. These differ from tax deductions.
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund after the purchase of your solar panels. These may be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The discount that rebates offer is normally applied to the price of solar panels before tax credits are calculated.
- Net Metering: Net metering becomes relevant after your solar system is up and running. If you've signed a net metering agreement with your Somers 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 areas you may receive a refund equivalent to a percentage of the value.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panels could qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions come into effect at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you ignore the added value of the solar panels when calculating property taxes on your house.
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Federal Solar Incentives
When thinking about solar incentives, you probably think of federal incentives first. You might have heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. The ITC is a tax credit that reduces your taxes by a predetermined percentage of the money you spend installing solar panels.
The ITC applies to solar panels installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. The credit initially covered 30% of the total cost — for panels, labor, equipment and accessories — although it may range from 26-30%, depending on when your solar system was installed. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.
Wondering how the ITC applies to your specific situation? Reach out to your local Somers solar panel installation expert to get more information.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, made some changes to the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). Now, solar installation projects started after January 1, 2022 and completed by the end of 2032 may be eligible for a 30% tax credit. The amount of the credit will then decrease slightly each year until the current Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, the expansion to the program will also make claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Somers solar panel company is the best resource for answering your questions about the new Clean Energy Credit and how it will apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
There are often state solar incentives available in addition to federal ones. Rebates, tax credits and more can be offered at a more local level. Certain incentives are offered for only a limited time, while others are ongoing. Your local incentives could come from your county or municipality, or from the New York government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Somers
You can qualify for solar incentives from the federal government and the New York government, as well as from your local utility company. This increase in availability of solar initiatives over the last 15 years has helped greatly increase nationwide adoption of solar energy. Reach out to your local solar panel installer today to learn more and to save the most money possible on a solar system for your Somers home.
EcoWatch's Somers, NY Solar Incentives FAQs
How much will a solar system save me annually on my electric bill in Somers?
When you add solar panels to your Somers home, you can expect to save around $928.49 per year, or around $17,641.32 over 20 years.
Who installs solar panel systems near me?
To find a top-rated solar panel installer, check out our guide to Somers' top solar panel companies.
If I change out my appliances for ones that can use solar energy, are there benefits that I can claim?
The new Inflation Reduction Act includes provisions for multiple incentives meant to reward homeowners for making eco-friendly upgrades. Some incentives include rebates and tax credits for installing new electric appliances. You can find more details about these incentives here.
Can I qualify for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order that incentives will be applied in may vary depending on which incentives you receive but generally yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Check with your solar installer or a local tax professional to verify you are claiming all possible incentives and applying them in the correct order.
Can I use a combination of solar and another type of renewable energy 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 talk through your ideas with your local Somers solar installation expert. They can help you plan your project and give you an understanding of various incentives that 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.