2024 Solar Incentives Guide for The Dalles, OR - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in The Dalles.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2024 and beyond)
- Ways to optimize your solar investment
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in The Dalles?
Solar Electric Incentive Program
Solar + Storage Rebate Program
Renewable Energy Systems Exemption
Columbia River PUD - Solar PV Net Metering Rebate
State Energy Loan Program
New Homes Incentive Program
Solar ready incentive: up to $200
Custom Renewable Energy Projects
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
The term "solar incentives" includes a wide range of financial incentives designed to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. Various types of incentives, like cash back, discounts or monthly utility bill credits, may be available to you. Certain incentives may be handled by the state of Oregon, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while other incentives are federal. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- Rebates: Rebates, or cash back after a purchase, are typically given before any solar tax credits are calculated. Rebates might be provided by your local utility company, by your state or by your county.
- Tax Exemptions: These could come in the form of property tax exemptions, which allow you to exclude the value added by your solar panels when paying property tax on your house. You could also look for exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
- Tax Credits: Different from tax deductions, tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government.
- Net Metering: Don't forget to speak with your The Dalles utility company about signing a net metering contract. This allows you to get a credit towards your monthly utility bill for the value of excess energy your solar panels generate. You might receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries
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
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the type of incentives that you are most likely to have some familiarity with. You may have heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. The ITC is a tax credit equal to a predetermined percentage of the money you spend on your solar system.
The ITC is applied to the total cost of installing solar panels, including the panels themselves as well as accessories, labor and equipment. You can claim this credit for panels installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence that you own and that is located in the United States. The tax credit ranges from 26-30% of total costs depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
Have questions about how the ITC applies to your specific situation? Contact your local The Dalles solar panel installation expert to get more information.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act laid out new provisions for the ITC, now called the Clean Energy Credit. The Clean Energy Credit lasts until 2035. Any solar installation project that is completed between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2032, may qualify for a 30% tax credit; this amount will be decreased slightly on a yearly basis until the current program ends. 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. To best understand how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you, speak with your local The Dalles solar installation company.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also provided at the state and local level. As with federal incentives, these can include tax credits, rebates and more. Incentives may be handled by your county or municipality, or by the state of Oregon. Some incentives may be available for only a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in The Dalles
You can qualify for solar incentives from the federal government and the Oregon government, as well as from your local utility company. This increase in availability of solar initiatives over the last 15 years has helped increase nationwide solar energy use enormously. Your local The Dalles solar panel installation expert can help you learn more about which incentives you can apply for, and get you feeling good about making the change to renewable energy today.
EcoWatch's The Dalles, OR Solar Incentives FAQs
I already have solar panels installed. Does my system qualify for any incentives?
An excellent idea would be to talk to someone from the company that installed your solar system – or reach out to a local The Dalles solar installer — to clarify which incentives you might qualify for. If your system was installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
What are the environmental benefits of switching to solar energy?
You can lower your carbon footprint by 40 pounds of CO2 annually by switching to solar panels. This adds up to around 800 pounds over 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, meaning that switching your home over lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
How long until the federal solar tax credit ends?
The Clean Energy Credit (previously referred to as the federal solar tax credit, or the ITC), currently ends on January 1, 2035. Currently set at 30%, the credit will drop to 26% in 2033 and to 22% in 2034.
If I switch my appliances out for ones that use solar energy, are there any benefits I can claim?
The new Inflation Reduction Act creates several new financial incentives for making eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details about these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I receive any incentives when I add solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property?
Many solar incentives are intended to apply to a property located within the United States that you own; most secondary residences fall under this distinction. Other solar incentives may be available for commercial properties, depending on the details. We recommend getting in touch with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to fully understand what incentives may apply to your specific situation.
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.