2025 Solar Incentives Guide for Etna, OH - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Etna.
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 Etna?
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/
The term "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. Solar incentives can include cash back, upfront discounts or monthly credits towards your utility bill. Some incentives are given by the federal government, some by the state of Ohio and some by your specific utility company, county or municipality. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar other performance-based incentives may be available to you if your solar system produces more than a specified (usually small) amount of electricity. These types of incentives are usually handled at the state level. You can sell your SRECs to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you receive in return is generally considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar system may qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions are applied at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you exclude the value added by your solar panels when you are calculating property taxes on your house.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits decrease, dollar-for-dollar, the total amount of tax you owe the federal government. Tax credits differ from tax deductions.
- Net Metering: Be sure to talk to your Etna utility company about signing a net metering contract. This will allow you to get a credit towards your monthly utility bill for the value of excess energy generated by your solar panels. You may receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
- Rebates: Rebates, or cash back after a purchase, are usually applied prior to any solar tax credits being calculated. These rebates may be given by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
Best Solar Financing
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Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the kind of incentives that you are most likely to have some familiarity with. The solar incentive that you're most likely to have heard of is 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 applied to solar panels installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. Initially, the credit applied to 30% of the total cost – for panels, equipment, labor and accessories – although that amount may range from 26-30%, depending on when your solar system was installed. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.
Your local Etna solar panel installer can offer more information about the ITC and how it might apply to your situation.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act made revisions to the ITC, now titled the Clean Energy Credit. Homeowners can now qualify for a credit of 30% of the total solar system installation costs for projects that began after January 1, 2022, and will be finished by the end of 2032. This percentage will then begin to decrease on a yearly basis until the Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. The best way to learn more about how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you is to reach out to your local Etna solar panel company with your questions.
State & Local Solar Incentives
In addition to federal solar incentives, there are often also state ones. Tax credits, rebates and more might be available at a more local level. Incentives may be handled by your county or municipality, or by the state of Ohio. Some incentives may be available for only a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Etna
You can apply for and receive solar incentives from the Ohio government and the federal government, as well as from your local utility company. This increase in availability of solar initiatives in the past 15 years has helped greatly increase nationwide adoption of solar energy. We recommend talking to your local Etna solar installer for more information about these incentives and to ensure that you're getting the largest number possible for your solar system.
EcoWatch's Etna, OH Solar Incentives FAQs
If I already have solar panels, can I still claim incentives?
Your best bet is to talk to the company that installed your solar panels – or reach out to a local Etna solar installer — to learn about which incentives you may qualify for. If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Solar systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
How much can I save on my electric bill annually if I add solar panels to my Etna home?
Once you add solar panels to your house in Etna, you can anticipate savings of about $829.73 per year, or around $15,764.86 over 20 years.
I want to trade in my old appliances for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any benefits I can apply for?
Under the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are a number of new financial incentives to encourage you to make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details about these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I qualify for incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order your incentives will be applied in may vary depending on which incentives you receive but generally yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Talk with your solar installer or a local tax professional to ensure you are claiming all possible incentives 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.