2025 Solar Incentives Guide for Whitehall, OH - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Whitehall.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2024 and beyond)
- Ways to optimize your solar investment
Solar installers are experts in maximizing your solar tax credits and rebates.
Get a free quote from one of our trusted Whitehall solar installers to see how much you can save.
Please enter a valid 5-digit zip code!
Why you can trust EcoWatch
What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Whitehall?
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 intended to make renewable energy usage more affordable via financial incentives to help people install solar panels on their homes. Different kinds of incentives, including cash back, discounts or monthly utility bill credits, may be available to you. Some incentives may be offered by the state of Ohio, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while others are federal. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Tax Exemptions: These might come in the form of property tax exemptions, which let you ignore the value of your solar system when calculating the taxes you pay on your home. You may also qualify for an exemption on sales tax at the time of purchase.
- Tax Credits: These credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much income tax you owe the government.
- Net Metering: Net metering factors in after your solar panels are up and running. If you have a net metering agreement in place with your Whitehall utility company, they will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your utility bill each month. In some places, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in others you may make back a percentage of the value.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar performance-based incentives might be available to you if you have a solar system that produces more than a specified (typically small) amount of electricity. Performance-based incentives are usually handled at the state level. You can sell your SRECs to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you make is usually considered part of your taxable income.
- Rebates: Rebates, or cash back after a purchase, are normally given prior to any solar tax credits being calculated. These rebates may be offered by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the type of incentives that you are most likely to have some familiarity with. 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 specified percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC was originally for 30% of the total cost of installing a solar system, although that number has fluctuated slightly over the last few years between 26-30%. The percentage you qualify for will depend on when your solar system was installed. The total cost of installation includes the panels themselves as well as the cost of labor, equipment and accessories. There is no maximum amount you can claim. The ITC applies to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006, on your primary or secondary residence. The residence must be in the United States and owned by you.
Contacting your local Whitehall solar panel installer 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. With the new provisions, solar installation projects that are completed between 2022 and 2032, can qualify for a 30% tax credit. This percentage will then see a slight annual decrease until the current Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Whitehall solar panel installers are the best people to answer your questions about the new Clean Energy Credit and how it may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also provided by state and local governments. As with federal incentives, these can include tax credits, rebates and more. These solar incentives — which may be given by the state of Ohio, or by your county or municipality — may be offered on an ongoing basis, or for only a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Whitehall
There are many kinds of solar incentives: those provided by the federal government, those offered by the Ohio government and those given by local utility companies, to name a few. Solar energy use has grown tremendously in the last 15 years, partially thanks to these incentives. Your local Whitehall solar panel installation expert can help you learn more about which incentives you might qualify for, and get you feeling good about making the change to renewable energy today.
EcoWatch's Whitehall, OH Solar Incentives FAQs
How much can I save on my electric bill annually if I install solar panels on my Whitehall home?
After adding solar panels to your house in Whitehall, you can expect to save about $884.69 per year, or about $16,809.04 over the next 20 years.
Who installs solar panels near me?
To find the best solar panel installation companies near you, read our article on Whitehall's best solar panel companies.
Can I claim incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order in which incentives are applied may vary depending on which incentives you receive but in most cases yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Get in touch with your solar installer or a local tax professional to ensure you are claiming all the incentives you're eligible for and applying them in the correct order.
Can I use both solar and another type of renewable energy to power my home?
Yes, you can use multiple types of renewable energy to power your home, such as a combination of solar and geothermal. You can also use both renewable energy sources and a non-renewable backup source of energy. Be sure to discuss your proposed plan with your local Whitehall solar installation expert, to make sure you know what you'll need and what kinds of incentives you will or won't qualify for.
Can I get any financial incentives when I add solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property?
While we recommend getting in touch with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what solar incentives apply to you, many apply to a second home, so long as that home is in the United States and owned by you. There may be other incentives available for commercial properties specifically, depending on the details.
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.