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

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

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

Solar incentives are intended to encourage homeowners to switch to renewable energy by offering incentives meant to lower the financial burden of solar panel installation and use. You might be eligible for several types of incentives, including discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill, depending on your situation. Certain incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the state of Ohio and others from the federal government. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:

• Rebates: Rebates, or cash back after a purchase, are usually applied before any solar tax credits are calculated. Rebates might be offered by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
• Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions may come in two forms. First, there is sales tax exemption, which is applied when you purchase solar panels. The second is property tax exemption. This allows you to ignore the value added by your solar system when paying property tax on your home.
• Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much income tax you owe the federal government.
• Net Metering: Make sure you talk with your Olmsted utility company about signing a net metering agreement. This allows 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.
• 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 be sold to your utility company or other buyers. The money you make is generally considered part of your taxable income.

Federal Solar Incentives

When you hear the term "solar incentives," federal incentives might be the first thing that comes to mind. The solar incentive that you're most familiar with is probably 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 was originally for 30% of the total cost of installing a solar system, and has fluctuated slightly over the years between 26-30%. The installation date of your solar system will determine what percentage you qualify for. The cost of installation includes the panels themselves as well as the cost of accessories, labor and equipment. There is no maximum claim amount. The ITC applies 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.

To better understand how the ITC will apply to you, call your local Olmsted solar panel installation expert and request more information.

In August 2022, the ITC (now called the Clean Energy Credit) was bolstered by the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act. With the new provisions, solar installation projects started after January 1, 2022, and completed by the end of 2032, may be eligible for a 30% tax credit. This percentage will then decrease slightly each year until the end of the current Clean Energy Credit in 2035. Starting in 2023, the expansion to the program will also make credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim.

Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. Your local Olmsted solar panel installers are the best people to answer your questions regarding the new Clean Energy Credit and how it applies to you.

State & Local Solar Incentives

In addition to those provided at the federal level, there are often also state solar incentives. Rebates, tax credits and more can be offered at a more local level. The incentives — which might be handled by the state of Ohio, or by your county or municipality — could be offered for only a limited time, or on an ongoing basis.

Next Steps for Installing Solar in Olmsted

There are many kinds of solar incentives: those provided by the federal government, those provided by the Ohio government and those given by local utility companies, to name a few. The use of solar energy has increased enormously in the last 15 years, partially thanks to these incentives. Speaking with your local Olmsted solar panel installation company is a great first step towards getting the most money possible when you switch to solar energy.