2025 Solar Incentives Guide for Blue Ash, OH - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Blue Ash.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2024 and beyond)
- Ways to optimize your solar investment
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Blue Ash?
Hamilton County - Home Improvement Program
Local Option - Special Energy Improvement Districts
Energy Conservation for Ohioans (ECO-Link) Program
Solar Renewable Energy Certificates Program (SRECs)
Duke Energy (Gas & Electric) - Residential Efficiency Rebate Program
Central AC or Heat pump: $300-$400
Geothermal Heat Pump: $400
Smart Thermostat: $125
Heat Pump Water Heater: $350
Variable Speed Pool Pumps: $300
Duct Sealing: $100
Duct Insulation: $75
Attic Insulation and Air Sealing: $250
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
The phrase "solar incentives" includes a wide range of financial incentives implemented to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. You might be eligible for various types of incentives, including discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill, depending on your situation. Some incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the state of Ohio and others from the federal government. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions that lower the amount of income tax you owe the government. (A tax credit is different from a tax deduction.)
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and other performance-based incentives are typically handled by your state government. Once your solar system meets the threshold (normally a small amount of energy production), you can receive SRECs that can be sold to your utility company or other buyers. The money you make from the sale is usually considered part of your taxable income.
- Net Metering: You may be able to sign a net metering contract with your Blue Ash utility company that will 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.
- Tax Exemptions: These may come in the form of property tax exemptions, which let you exclude the value added by your solar panels when paying property tax on your home. They may also include exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
- Rebates: Solar rebates can be provided by your local utility company, or by your state or county. These rebates work as cash back that is applied after you pay for a solar system and before tax credits are calculated.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the type of incentives that you are most likely to have some knowledge of. It's likely that you've heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This incentive is a tax credit that reduces your taxes by a predetermined percentage of the money you spend on your solar system.
The ITC applies to solar panels installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar panels must have been installed on a property you own after January 1, 2006, for you to claim the credit. The ITC initially covered 30% of all system installation costs (panels, labor, equipment and accessories), although the amount has fluctuated over the years between 26-30%. The installation date of your solar system will determine what percentage you are eligible for. There is no cap on the claim amount.
To know exactly how much money the ITC could save you, contact your local Blue Ash solar panel installation expert.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, made some changes to the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). The Clean Energy Credit re-raises the credit up to 30% for solar systems installed between 2022 and 2032. At this point, the credit percentage will decrease slightly each year until the end of the program in 2035. Beginning in 2023, it will also be easier to claim credits for energy storage systems under the new laws.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Blue Ash 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
In addition to those provided at the federal level, there are often also state solar incentives. Tax credits, rebates and more might be available at a more local level. The incentives — which may be handled by the state of Ohio, or by your county or municipality — may be offered for only a limited time, or on an ongoing basis.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Blue Ash
There are a variety of solar incentives: those given by the federal government, those offered by the Ohio government and those given by local utility companies, to name a few. The use of solar energy has grown tremendously in the last 15 years, thanks to these incentives. Your local Blue Ash solar panel installation expert can give you more information about which incentives you should apply for, and get you on track to switch to renewable energy today.
EcoWatch's Blue Ash, OH Solar Incentives FAQs
I already have solar panels. Are there any incentives that I qualify for?
If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. If you had your system installed between 2006 and 2021, you may qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the date of installation. Reaching out to the company that installed your system, or any local Blue Ash solar installer, can help you understand what incentives you qualify for.
What are some environmental benefits of installing solar panels on my house?
Solar energy is renewable — by changing where you get your energy, you can help lessen the strain on our planet's resources. You can also lower the CO2 emissions from your home by 450 pounds annually, or around 9,000 pounds over 20 years.
I want to trade in my old appliances for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any benefits I can get?
With the passage of the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are a number of new financial incentives for making eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details on these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I use both 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. Make sure you go over your ideas with your local Blue Ash 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.
Can I get any financial incentives when I add solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property?
While we recommend speaking with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to better understand what solar incentives apply to you, many incentives apply to a second home, so long as that home is in the United States and owned by you. There may be additional incentives available specifically for commercial properties, depending on the specifics.
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.