2023 Solar Incentives Guide for New Albany, OH - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in New Albany.
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 September 15, 2023
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in New Albany?
Hamilton County - Home Improvement Program
Consolidated Electric Cooperative - Heat Pump and Water Heating Rebates
Duel Fuel Heat Pump Rebate: $600
Geothermal Heat Pump: $1,000
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" covers a range of financial incentives put in place to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. Various kinds of incentives, like discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill, may be available to you. Some incentives may be provided via the Ohio government, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while others are federal. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Tax Exemptions: These might come in the form of property tax exemptions, which allow you to exclude the value of your solar system when paying taxes on your home. They may also include exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the government. (This is different from a tax deduction.)
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and other similar performance-based incentives are usually handled by your state government. Once your solar panel system meets a certain threshold (usually a small amount of energy production), you can receive SRECs that can then be sold to your utility company or other buyers. The money you make from the sale is generally considered part of your taxable income.
- Rebates: Solar rebates can be offered by your state or county, 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.
- Net Metering: Net metering becomes relevant after your solar panels are up and running. If you have in place a net metering agreement with your New Albany utility company, it will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your utility bill each month. In some areas, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in others you may make back a percentage of the value.
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Federal Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are likely to be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about solar incentives. 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 certain percentage of the cost of your solar system.
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, equipment and accessories. There is no maximum amount you can claim. The ITC can be applied to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 on your primary or secondary residence. The residence must be owned by you and in the United States.
Reaching out to your local New Albany solar panel installation expert is the best way to understand how the ITC could apply to you.
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 new Clean Energy Credit is valid until 2035. American homeowners can now apply for a 30% credit for solar systems that began installation after January 1, 2022 and are completed by the end of 2032. The total credit will then decrease annually until its expiration. Beginning in 2023, it will also be easier to obtain credits for energy storage systems under the new laws.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local New Albany 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 may be available at a more local level. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others are available for a limited time. They may be given by the Ohio government, or by your county or municipality.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in New Albany
There are many kinds of solar incentives: those provided by local utility companies, those provided by the federal government and those provided by the Ohio government, to name a few. The use of solar energy has grown tremendously in the last 15 years, thanks to these incentives. Your local New Albany solar panel installer can give you more information about which incentives you should apply for, and get you started on the path to switching to renewable energy today.
EcoWatch's New Albany, OH Solar Incentives FAQs
I already have solar panels. Do I qualify for any incentives?
Your best bet is to talk to someone from the company that installed your system — or call a local New Albany solar installer — to better understand which incentives you might qualify for. If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Solar panels installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
What are the best solar panel installation companies near me?
To discover the best solar panel installation companies near you, read our article on the best solar companies in New Albany.
What are the environmental benefits of switching to solar energy?
You can lower your carbon footprint by 450 pounds of CO2 a year by switching to solar panels. This adds up to around 9,000 pounds in 20 years. In addition, solar power is a renewable energy source, meaning that switching your home over reduces the drain on our planet's resources.
When does the federal solar tax credit end?
The Clean Energy Credit (formerly named the federal solar tax credit, or ITC), is slated to end on January 1, 2035. Currently set at 30%, the credit will drop to 26% in 2033 and to 22% in 2034.
Can I apply for incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order in which incentives are applied could vary depending on which incentives you receive but in most cases yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Get in touch with your solar installer or a local tax professional to be sure you are claiming all of the incentives you qualify for 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.