2024 Solar Incentives Guide for West Carrollton, OH - Tax Credits & Rebates

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

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

Solar incentives are meant to encourage homeowners to switch to renewable energy by offering incentives that lower the financial burden of solar panel installation and use. The incentives might include upfront discounts, cash back or monthly credits towards your utility bill. Some incentives are given by the federal government, some by the state of Ohio and some by your utility company, county or municipality. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:

• Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions can come in one of 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 added value of your solar system when calculating property tax for your home.
• Rebates: Rebates, or partial refunds after a purchase, are normally applied before any solar tax credits are calculated. These rebates may be provided by your local utility company, by your state or by your county.
• Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): In general, solar systems that produce over a specific (usually small) amount of electricity can qualify for SRECs or similar performance-based incentives. SRECs and performance-based incentives in general are typically given at the state level. When you receive an SREC, you can sell it to your utility company or another buyer, and this is usually considered part of your taxable income.
• Net Metering: Net metering is an incentive you can get after your solar panels are up and running. If you've signed a net metering agreement with your West Carrollton utility company, the company will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your utility bill each month. In some locations, this credit is dollar-for-dollar, while in others you may be refunded a percentage of the value.
• Tax Credits: Tax credits decrease, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax you owe the government. These are different from tax deductions.

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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. One of the incentives that most people are likely familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This is a tax credit for a given percentage of the cost of your solar system.

The ITC applies to the value of a solar system installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar panels must have been installed after January 1, 2006, on a property owned by you for you to claim the credit. The ITC initially covered 30% of all system costs (panels, equipment, accessories and labor), although the covered amount has fluctuated slightly over the years between 26-30%. The installation date of your solar system will determine what percentage you are eligible for. There is no cap on the claim amount.

Wondering how the ITC applies to your specific situation? Reach out to your local West Carrollton solar panel installer to get more information.

In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act laid out new provisions for the ITC, now referred to as the Clean Energy Credit. Homeowners can now receive a credit equal to 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 credit percentage will then begin to decrease on a yearly basis until the Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. The expansion to the program also makes credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim, starting in 2023.

More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local West Carrollton solar panel company can answer your questions and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit may apply to you.

State & Local Solar Incentives

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

Next Steps for Installing Solar in West Carrollton

Solar incentives can be provided by your local utility company, the Ohio government or the federal government. The variety of available incentives has contributed to a large increase in solar energy use in the last 15 years. Your local West Carrollton solar panel installation company can give you more information about which incentives you should apply for, and get you on track to switch to renewable energy today.