2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Maumee, OH - Tax Credits & Rebates

What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Maumee?

Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/

The phrase "solar incentives" generally refers to financial incentives implemented by the government and by solar companies to encourage people to use renewable energy by making the installation and use of solar panels more affordable. Incentives may include things like discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits. Some incentives are provided by the federal government, while others are offered by the Ohio government or your specific utility company, county or municipality. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:

• Net Metering: Be sure to talk with your Maumee utility company about signing a net metering contract. This will allow you to receive credit towards your utility bill every month for the value of excess energy your solar panels generate. You might receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
• Tax Credits: These credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much income tax you owe the federal government.
• Tax Exemptions: These might come in the form of property tax exemptions, which allow you to ignore the value added by your solar panels when paying taxes on your home. You could also look for exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
• Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for money that typically becomes part of your taxable income. Typically, there is a small threshold of energy production to meet before your solar system is eligible for SRECs or other performance-based incentives. SRECs and similar incentives are generally handled by your state government.
• 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 your purchase of a solar system and before tax credits are calculated.

Federal Solar Incentives

Federal incentives are the kind of incentives that you are most likely to have some knowledge of. You've likely 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 installing solar panels.

The ITC initially applied to 30% of the cost of installing a solar system, and has fluctuated slightly over the last few years between 26-30%. The percentage you qualify for will depend on when your solar system was installed. The total installation cost includes the panels themselves as well as the cost of accessories, equipment and labor. There is no maximum amount you can claim. The ITC can be applied to solar panels installed after January 1, 2006 on your primary or secondary residence. The residence must be owned by you and in the United States.

Your local Maumee solar panel installation expert can give you more information about the ITC and how it may apply to your situation.

The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, expanded and extended the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). Homeowners can now qualify for a credit of 30% of the total costs of solar system installation for projects started after January 1, 2022 and completed before the end of 2032. The credit percentage will then begin to decrease annually until the Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, the expansion to the program will also make it easier to get credit for energy storage systems.

More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. The best way to understand how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you is to reach out to your local Maumee solar panel installers with your questions.

State & Local Solar Incentives

Rebates, tax credits and more can be provided at multiple levels. On top of federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones, too. Certain incentives are offered for only a limited time, while others are ongoing. Your local solar incentives could come from the Ohio government, or from your specific county or municipality.

Next Steps for Installing Solar in Maumee

There are a number of different solar incentives: those given by local utility companies, those given by the Ohio government and those given by the federal government, to name a few. Solar energy use has increased tremendously in the last 15 years, partially thanks to these incentives. It is a good idea to talk to your local Maumee solar installer to learn more about these incentives and to be sure that you're getting the largest number possible for your solar system.