2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Webster, NY - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Webster.
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.
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Updated February 03, 2024
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Webster?
Home Performance with ENERGY STAR
Residential Wood Heating Fuel Exemption
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.
Residential Solar Tax Credit
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%
Local Option - Real Property Tax Exemption for Green Buildings
Energy Conservation Improvements Property Tax Exemption
Local Option - Solar Sales Tax Exemption
State of NY Commercial PACE Financing Program
Solar Sales Tax Exemption
Ground Source Heat Pump Rebate Program
Large Systems (> 10 cooling tons): $1,200/cooling ton
Refundable Clean Heating Fuel Tax Credit (Corporate)
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)
Refundable Clean Heating Fuel Tax Credit (Personal)
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/
The phrase "solar incentives" refers broadly to financial incentives that are in place to encourage the use of renewable energy by making the installation and use of solar panels more affordable. You may qualify for various kinds of incentives, including cash back, discounts or monthly utility bill credits, depending on your situation. Some incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the New York government and others from the federal government. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- Rebates: Solar rebates may be offered by your local utility company, or by your county or state. These rebates are essentially partial refunds that are applied after you pay for solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Net Metering: You may be able to sign a net metering contract with your Webster utility company. This agreement may apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity that is generated by your solar panels. They will then deduct this value from your monthly utility bill.
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions are applied at the time of purchase for your solar panels. Property tax exemptions allow you to ignore the value that your solar panels add when calculating how much property tax you need to pay on your home.
- Tax Credits: Different from tax deductions, tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the government.
Best National Provider
SunPower
- Most efficient panels on the market
- National coverage
- Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
- Great warranty coverage
- Expensive
- Customer service varies by local dealer
Best Regional Coverage
Momentum Solar
- Great warranty coverage
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- Concierge service ensures steady communication
- Slightly limited service offerings
Best for Leasing
Sunrun
- Expansive service area
- Many financing options
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Some reported issues with door-to-door sales
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the type of incentives that you are most likely to have some familiarity with. The solar incentive that you may be most familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which gives you a credit on your taxes equal to a specified percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC covers solar systems installed after January 1, 2006, and under this program you can deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, labor, accessories and equipment. This credit can be claimed on 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 the amount you can claim may range between 26-30%. There is no maximum claim amount.
Reaching out to your local Webster solar panel installer is the best way to understand how the ITC applies to your situation.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, added more provisions to the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). The Clean Energy Credit lasts until 2035. Any solar installation project that is completed between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2032, may qualify for a 30% tax credit. The amount will be decreased slightly on a yearly basis until the current program ends. Beginning in 2023, it will also be easier to claim credits for energy storage systems with the new act.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. The easiest way to fully understand how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you is to talk with your local Webster solar panel company.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Not all solar incentives are federal; tax credits, rebates and more are often offered at the local or state level. Certain incentives are offered for only a limited time, while others are ongoing. Local solar incentives may come from the New York government, or from your specific county or municipality.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Webster
There are a variety of solar incentives: those offered by the federal government, those offered by the New York government and those given by local utility companies, to name a few. Solar energy utilization has increased tremendously in the last 15 years, partially due to these incentives. We recommend talking to your local Webster solar installation company for more information about these incentives and to ensure that you're getting all the money you can for your solar panels.
EcoWatch's Webster, NY Solar Incentives FAQs
How do I learn if I qualify for specific solar incentives?
It's a smart idea to get in touch with your local Webster solar installer to get an understanding of which incentives your project will qualify for. Usually, solar incentives apply to new solar systems installed on a property you own (in the U.S.) within a specified date range. Some incentives, such as those offered by the government of New York, might have other requirements.
How much will solar panels save me annually on my electric bill in Webster?
On average, homeowners in Webster who install solar panels save approximately $789.44 per year, or about $14,999.36 over 20 years after making the switch.
What are some environmental benefits of adding solar panels to my house?
You can reduce your carbon footprint by 100 pounds of CO2 a year by installing solar panels. This adds up to approximately 2,000 pounds over 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, meaning that switching your home over lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
Can I receive any incentives when I add solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property?
Many solar incentives are intended to apply to a property you own that is located within the United States; most secondary residences will fall into this category. There may be other solar incentives available for commercial properties, depending on the details. We recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to better understand what incentives may 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.