2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Crawford, OH - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Crawford.
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 Crawford?
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 through financial incentives to help people install solar panels on their homes. Incentives may include things like discounts, cash back or credit on your utility bill each month. Some incentives are handled federally, while others are offered by the Ohio government or by your utility company, county or municipality. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Rebates: Solar rebates can be offered by your county or state, or by your local utility company. These rebates work as cash back that is applied after you purchase a solar system and before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions are effective at the point of sale for your solar system. Property tax exemptions allow you to ignore the value added by your solar system when calculating the amount of property tax you need to pay on your house.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions that lower the amount of income tax you owe the federal government. (This is different from a tax deduction.)
- Net Metering: Make sure you speak with your Crawford utility company about signing a net metering agreement. This allows you to get a credit towards your monthly utility bill for the value of excess energy generated by your solar panels. You might receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): In general, solar systems that produce over a threshold (generally small) amount of electricity will qualify for SRECs or similar performance-based incentives. SRECs and similar incentives are typically provided by your state government. You can sell SRECs to your utility company or another buyer, and this is usually considered part of your taxable income.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are probably the first thing that you think of when you think about solar incentives. 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 percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC can be credited towards the value of a solar system installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar panels have to have been installed after January 1, 2006 on a property owned by you for you to claim the credit. The ITC initially covered 30% of all system costs (panels, accessories, labor and equipment), although the total amount has fluctuated slightly over the last few years between 26-30%. The amount you qualify for will depend on when your solar system was installed. There is no cap on the claim amount.
Curious how the ITC might apply to your specific situation? Reach out to your local Crawford solar panel installation expert to get more information.
The ITC has been renewed and expanded following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. It's also now called the Clean Energy Credit. The Clean Energy Credit re-raises the credit up to 30% for solar systems installed between 2022 and 2032. After this, the credit percentage will be reduced slightly each year until the program expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, the expansion to the program will also make claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. To fully understand how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you, get in touch with your local Crawford solar installers.
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. These incentives may be offered by the Ohio government, or by your county or municipality. Some incentives may be ongoing, while others are available for a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Crawford
There are a number of different solar incentives: those given by the federal government, those given by the Ohio government and those given by local utility companies, to name a few. The use of solar energy has grown enormously in the last 15 years, partially due to these incentives. Reach out to your local solar panel installation company today to discover more about the various programs and to save the most money possible on a solar system for your Crawford home.
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 Crawford, OH Solar Incentives FAQs
How do I learn if I qualify for different solar incentives?
Typically, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar panel system
- installed on property that you own
- within the U.S.
- between the dates specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including those given out by the Ohio government or by your county/municipality, may have additional qualifications. Get in touch with your local Crawford solar installer to discover what incentives your project may qualify for.
How much can I save annually on my electric bill if I add solar panels to my house in Crawford?
Generally, homeowners in Crawford who install solar panels save about $853.10 per year, or about $16,208.83 over 20 years after making the switch.
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar energy?
You can lower your carbon footprint by 400 pounds of CO2 annually when you install solar panels. This adds up to approximately 9,000 pounds in 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, which means that making the switch lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
If I trade in my appliances for ones that utilize solar energy, are there benefits that I can claim?
The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act includes provisions for several incentives designed to reward homeowners for making eco-friendly upgrades. Some of these incentives include rebates and tax credits for installing new electric appliances. You can find more details about these incentives here.
Can I claim incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
Yes, you can receive both rebates and tax credits towards the cost of solar panels. Depending on which incentives you are applying for, they may apply in a different order. Be sure to speak with your solar installer or a local tax professional to verify that you are claiming the correct incentives and getting the most money you can.
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.