2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Mechanic, OH - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Mechanic.
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 Mechanic?
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 designed to make renewable energy usage more affordable through financial incentives to help people install solar panels on their homes. These incentives could include upfront discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are provided by the federal government, some by the Ohio government and some by your utility company, county or municipality. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar system could qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions come into effect at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you exclude the value added by your solar panels when calculating property taxes on your home.
- Rebates: Some solar companies will help you claim a rebate, or partial refund of your purchase, for your solar panels. Counties or states will also sometimes offer limited-time rebates. Any rebates you receive will usually come off the total price before any tax credits are calculated.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): In general, solar systems that produce more than a specified (generally small) amount of electricity qualify for SRECs or other performance-based incentives. SRECs and the like are typically given at the state level. SRECs can be sold to your utility company or another buyer, and this is usually considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Credits: Different from tax deductions, tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the government.
- Net Metering: Net metering factors in after your solar system is up and running. If you have in place a net metering agreement with your Mechanic utility company, it will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your monthly utility bill. In some areas, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in other areas you may make back a percentage of the value.
Federal Solar Incentives
When you think about solar incentives, you likely think of federal incentives first. You may have heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This incentive is a tax credit that reduces your taxes by a specified percentage of the money you spend installing solar panels.
The ITC initially applied to 30% of the total cost of solar panel installation, and has fluctuated slightly over the years between 26-30%. The percentage you qualify for will depend on when your solar system was installed. The total cost of installation includes the panels themselves as well as the cost of equipment, accessories and labor. There is no maximum claim amount. The ITC can be applied to solar panels installed after January 1, 2006 on your primary or secondary residence. The residence must be in the United States and owned by you.
Your local Mechanic solar panel installation expert can provide more information about the ITC and how it might apply to your situation.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, added more provisions to the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). The Clean Energy Credit bolsters the current credit, increasing it up to 30% for solar systems installed between 2022 and 2032. After this, the percentage will see a slight decrease annually until the end of the program in 2035. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. To best understand how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you, talk to your local Mechanic solar installers.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Tax credits, rebates and more might be provided at multiple levels. In addition to federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones as well. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others are offered for only a limited time. These local incentives might come from your county or municipality, or from the Ohio government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Mechanic
Solar incentives might be provided by the Ohio government, the federal government or your local utility company. The variety of incentives available has facilitated the nationwide growth of solar energy use in the last 15 years. Getting in touch with your local Mechanic solar panel installer is the best first step towards getting all the incentives you qualify for when you switch to solar energy.
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 Mechanic, OH Solar Incentives FAQs
How much can I save annually on my electric bill if I install solar panels on my Mechanic home?
Typically, homeowners in Mechanic who install solar panels save about $856.38 per year, or about $16,271.14 over 20 years after making the switch.
What are some environmental benefits of adding solar panels to my home?
Solar energy is renewable — by changing where you get your energy, you help reduce the strain on our planet's resources. Solar panels can also lower your home's CO2 emissions by 400 pounds annually, or roughly 9,000 pounds over 20 years.
If I change out my appliances for ones that utilize solar energy, are there any benefits that I can claim?
With the passage of 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 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 your incentives will be applied in might vary depending on which incentives you are eligible for but in most cases yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Get in touch with your solar installer or a local tax professional to verify you are claiming all possible incentives and applying them in the correct order.
Can I use multiple types 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. Be sure to discuss your ideas with your local Mechanic solar installer. They can help you with the plan for your project and also help you understand the various incentives that you might or might not qualify for.
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.