2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Solon, OH - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Solon.
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 Solon?
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 meant to help mitigate the cost of installing solar panels on your home. Financial incentives like these are in place to encourage more homeowners to make the switch to renewable energy. These incentives may include cash back, upfront discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are offered by the federal government, some by the state of Ohio and some by your specific utility company, county or municipality. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions are effective at the point of sale for your solar panels. Property tax exemptions let you ignore the added value of your solar system when you're calculating how much property tax you need to pay.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits lower, dollar-for-dollar, the total amount of tax you owe the government. Tax credits are different from tax deductions.
- Rebates: Solar rebates may be provided by your state or county, or by your local utility company. These rebates are essentially partial refunds that are applied after your purchase of solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for cash that typically becomes part of your taxable income. In most cases, a certain (small) threshold of energy production must be met before your solar system is eligible for SRECs or similar performance-based incentives. SRECs and similar incentives are normally handled by your state government.
- Net Metering: You may be able to sign a net metering agreement with your Solon utility company that will apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity your solar panels generate. They will then subtract this value from your utility bill each month.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think about solar incentives. It's likely that you've heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This is a tax credit equal to a certain percentage of the money you spend on your solar system.
The ITC covers solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 and under this program you can deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, equipment, accessories and labor. You can receive this credit for solar panels installed on a primary or secondary residence that you own in the United States. Originally, you could claim 30% of the total cost, although depending on when the project was completed, your credit may range from 26-30%. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
Reaching out to your local Solon solar panel installation expert is the best way to learn more about how the ITC may apply to you.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, expanded and extended the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). Homeowners are now eligible for a credit of 30% of the total costs of solar system installation for projects that began after January 1, 2022 and will be finished by the end of 2032. The percentage will then begin to decrease annually until the Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. The expansion also makes it easier to get credit for energy storage systems, starting in 2023.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. Your local Solon solar panel installer can answer your questions and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Rebates, tax credits and more might be provided at multiple levels. On top of federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones, too. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others might only be available for a limited time. Incentives might be offered by the Ohio government, or by your county or municipality.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Solon
You can qualify for solar incentives from the Ohio government and the federal government, as well as from your local utility company. The growing availability of solar initiatives over the last 15 years has helped increase solar adoption nationwide. Call your local solar panel installer today to learn more and to save the most money possible on a solar system for your Solon home.
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 Solon, OH Solar Incentives FAQs
What if I add a solar system to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property? Can I still qualify for incentives?
While we recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to fully understand what solar incentives apply to you, many incentives apply to a second home, so long as that home is in the United States and owned by you. There may be additional incentives available specifically for commercial properties, depending on the details.
How do I know if I qualify for specific solar incentives?
It's a smart idea to get in touch with your local Solon solar installer to get an understanding of which incentives your project will qualify for. Typically, solar incentives apply to new solar panel systems installed on property you own (in the U.S.) between the dates specified by the incentive. Some incentives, like those provided at the level of the Ohio government, might have additional requirements.
If my house already has solar panels, can I still claim incentives?
If your solar system was installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. If you had your system installed between 2006 and 2021, you might qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the exact installation date. Reaching out to the company that installed your solar system, or any local Solon solar installer, can help you learn what incentives you might want to apply for.
What are the environmental benefits of switching to solar energy?
Solar energy is renewable — by switching where you get your energy, you help lessen the strain on our planet's resources. A solar system can also reduce your home's CO2 emissions by 400 pounds yearly, or around 8,000 pounds over 20 years.
Can I qualify for incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order in which incentives are applied might vary depending on which incentives you are eligible for but generally yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Check 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.