2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Bath, OH - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Bath.
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 Bath?
Hamilton County - Home Improvement Program
Local Option - Special Energy Improvement Districts
Energy Conservation for Ohioans (ECO-Link) Program
Solar Renewable Energy Certificates Program (SRECs)
Dayton Power and Light - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Air Conditioning: $100 - $150, varies by efficiency and equipment application
Air Source Heat Pump: $150 - $250, varies by efficiency and equipment application
Geothermal Heat Pump: $800 - $1,000, varies by efficiency and equipment application
Heat Pump Water Heaters: $400
Airlfow/Climate Control
WiFi Thermostat: $20-$30
Smart Thermostat: $75
Air Insulation & Sealing: Up to $650, must be through approved contractors
Appliance Recycling: $50
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are designed to encourage people to switch to renewable energy by providing incentives that lower the financial burden of solar panel installation and use. Various types of incentives, including cash back, discounts or monthly utility bill credits, might be available to you. Certain incentives may be offered by the state of Ohio, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while other incentives are federal. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Net Metering: You can sign a net metering agreement with your Bath utility company, that may apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity that is generated by your solar panels. Your utility company will then subtract this value from your monthly utility bill.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs are credits that can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for money that is generally considered part of your taxable income. In most cases, a certain (small) threshold of energy production must be met before your solar system is eligible for SRECs or similar performance-based incentives. Incentives like these are normally handled at the state level.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panel system may qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions are effective at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you ignore the added value of the solar panels when you are calculating property taxes on your house.
- Rebates: Rebates, or partial refunds after a purchase, are normally applied prior to any solar tax credits being calculated. These rebates can be offered by your local utility company, by your state or by your county.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits lower, dollar-for-dollar, the total amount of tax you owe the government. These differ from tax deductions.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the type of incentives that you are most likely to have heard of. You may have heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This is a tax credit equal to a specified percentage of the money you spend on solar panels for your home.
The ITC covers solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 and lets you deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, labor, equipment and accessories. You can claim this credit for solar panels installed on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. The original claim amount was 30% of the total cost, although certain projects may qualify for only 26%, depending on the details. There is no maximum claim amount.
To better understand how the ITC may apply to your situation, contact your local Bath solar panel installer and request more information.
In August 2022, the ITC (now called the Clean Energy Credit) was bolstered by the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act. The new Clean Energy Credit extends until 2035. Homeowners can now receive a 30% credit for solar systems that began installation after January 1, 2022 and are completed by the end of 2032. The credit will then be decreased by a few percentage points every year until the date of expiration. The expansion also makes it easier to get credit for energy storage systems, beginning in 2023.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. The easiest way to understand how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you is to get in touch with your local Bath solar panel company.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Rebates, tax credits and more might be provided at multiple levels. In addition to federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones, too. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others are only available for a limited time. Solar incentives might be given by your county or municipality, or by the Ohio government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Bath
You can apply for solar incentives from the federal government and the Ohio government, as well as from your local utility company. Growing availability of solar initiatives over the last 15 years has helped increase nationwide solar energy use enormously. Your local Bath solar panel installation company can help you learn more about which incentives you may qualify for, and get you feeling good about making the change to renewable energy today.
EcoWatch's Bath, OH Solar Incentives FAQs
Can I get any financial incentives when I add solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property?
While we recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to fully understand what solar incentives apply to you, many incentives will apply to a second home, provided that it is in the United States and owned by you. There may be other incentives available for commercial properties specifically, depending on the details.
What are some environmental benefits of installing solar panels on my house?
Solar energy is a renewable energy source — by changing where you get your energy, you can help lessen the strain on our planet's resources. Solar panels can also lower your home's CO2 emissions by 450 pounds yearly, or around 9,000 pounds in 20 years.
Can I receive incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order your incentives will be applied in could vary depending on which incentives you receive but in most cases yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Check with your solar installer or a local tax professional to make sure 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 discuss your plan with your local Bath solar installer. They can help you as you plan for your project and educate you on the 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.