2025 Solar Incentives Guide for Monfort Heights, OH - Tax Credits & Rebates

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

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

The phrase "solar incentives" refers broadly to financial incentives implemented by the government and by solar companies to encourage the use of renewable energy by making solar panels more affordable. Solar incentives could include cash back, upfront discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are provided by the federal government, some by the Ohio government and some by your specific utility company, county or municipality. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:

• Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions may come in two forms. The first is sales tax exemption, applied at the time you purchase your solar panels. The second is property tax exemption, which allows you to ignore the added value of your solar system when paying property tax on your home.
• Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar performance-based incentives may be available to you if your solar system produces over a specified (generally small) amount of electricity. These types of incentives are normally handled by the state government. You can sell SRECs to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you make is typically considered part of your taxable income.
• Rebates: Rebates, or cash back after a purchase, are usually applied before any solar tax credits are calculated. These rebates may be provided by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
• Net Metering: Net metering becomes relevant once your solar system is up and running. If you have a net metering agreement with your Monfort Heights utility company, it will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your utility bill each month. In some places, this credit is dollar-for-dollar, while in other areas you may make back a percentage of the value.
• Tax Credits: Tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax you owe the government. These are different from tax deductions.

Federal Solar Incentives

When thinking about solar incentives, federal incentives might be the first thing that comes to mind. An incentive many people are likely familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This incentive is a tax credit for a specified percentage of your solar system's cost.

The ITC initially applied to 30% of the cost of installing a solar system, although that number 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 installation cost includes the panels themselves as well as the cost of labor, accessories and equipment. 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.

Speaking with your local Monfort Heights solar panel installation expert is the best way to learn more about how the ITC may apply to your situation.

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 new Clean Energy Credit extends until 2035. Homeowners can now receive a 30% credit for solar systems installed between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2032. The credit will then be decreased by a few percentage points every year until the date of expiration. The program expansion also makes it easier to get credit for energy storage systems, beginning in 2023.

More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Monfort Heights solar panel installer can answer any questions you have and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you.

State & Local Solar Incentives

In addition to federal solar incentives, there are often also state ones. Rebates, tax credits and more can be offered at a more local level. These incentives might be distributed by the Ohio government, or by your county or municipality. Some are available for a limited time, while others are ongoing.

Next Steps for Installing Solar in Monfort Heights

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. Call 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 Monfort Heights home.