2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Baughman, OH - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Baughman.
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 Baughman?
Hamilton County - Home Improvement Program
Local Option - Special Energy Improvement Districts
Energy Conservation for Ohioans (ECO-Link) Program
Solar Renewable Energy Certificates Program (SRECs)
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are intended to make renewable energy usage more affordable via financial incentives to help people install solar panels on their homes. Incentives may include things like discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are provided by the federal government, while others are offered by the Ohio government or your utility company, county or municipality. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Net Metering: You can sign a net metering contract with your Baughman 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 deduct this value from your utility bill each month.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and other similar performance-based incentives are usually handled at the state level. Once your solar panel system meets the qualification threshold (typically a small amount of energy production), you can receive SRECs that you can then sell to your utility company or other buyers. The money you make from the sale is generally considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits lower, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax you owe the government. These differ from tax deductions.
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund after the purchase of your solar system. These might be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The cash back that you get from the rebates is normally applied before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions can come in one of two forms. The first is sales tax exemption, which is applied when you purchase solar panels. The second is property tax exemption. This allows you to exclude the added value of your solar system when calculating property tax for your house.
Federal Solar Incentives
When people think of solar incentives, federal incentives might be the first thing that comes to mind. The solar incentive that you're most familiar with is probably the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which provides a credit on your taxes equal to a specified percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC applies towards solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 and lets you deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, equipment, accessories and labor. You can receive this credit for a solar panel system installed on a primary or secondary residence that you own in the United States. 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 amount you can claim.
To understand exactly how much the ITC could save you, contact your local Baughman solar panel installer.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, made some changes to the ITC (as well as retitling it the Clean Energy Credit). Homeowners are now eligible for a credit equal to 30% of the total costs of solar system installation for projects started after January 1, 2022 and completed before the end of 2032. This percentage will then decrease annually until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. The program expansion 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. The best way to understand how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you is to speak with your local Baughman solar panel installers directly.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be provided at the state and local level. As with federal incentives, these can include tax credits, rebates and more. Some incentives are ongoing, while others may only be 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 Baughman
You can qualify for solar incentives from the federal government and the Ohio government, as well as from your local utility company. The growing availability of solar initiatives over the last 15 years has helped increase nationwide solar energy use enormously. Your local Baughman solar panel installation expert can give you more information about which incentives you can apply for, and get you started on the path to switching to renewable energy today.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries (coming 2022)
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 Baughman, OH Solar Incentives FAQs
How do I know if I qualify for specific solar incentives?
It's a good idea to talk to your local Baughman solar installer to get an understanding of which incentives your project may qualify for. Typically, solar incentives apply to new solar panel systems installed on property you own (in the U.S.) between the dates specified by the incentive. Some incentives, like those provided by the Ohio government, may have other requirements.
I already have solar panels. Are there any incentives that I qualify for?
You should plan to talk to a representative from the company that installed your solar panels — or speak to a local Baughman solar installer — to better understand which incentives you might qualify for. If your system was installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
What are some environmental benefits of adding solar panels to my home?
You can reduce your carbon footprint by 400 pounds of CO2 annually by switching to solar panels. This adds up to approximately 8,000 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.
I want to trade in my old appliances for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any credits I can apply for?
Under the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are a variety of new financial incentives to encourage you to make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details regarding these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I receive incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order that incentives will be applied in could vary depending on which incentives you receive but typically 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.
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.