2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Colebrookdale, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Colebrookdale.
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 September 15, 2023
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Colebrookdale?
High Performance Buildings Incentive Program
Commercial loans/loan guarantees: $2 million
Grants: Lesser of 10% of project costs or $500,000
Wind and Geothermal Incentives Program
Manufacturer grants: $5,000 per job created within 3 years
Loans for geothermal systems: $3 per square foot of space served up to $5 million; also limited to 50% of eligible costs for residential systems.
Loans for wind energy production projects: $5 million
Grants for wind energy production projects: $1 million
Grants for feasibility studies: 50% of cost up to $175,000
Loan guarantee grants: Up to 75% of deficient funds up to $5 million
Solar Alternative Energy Credits
High Performance Building Incentives Program
First Energy (MetEdison, Penelec, Penn Power, West Penn Power) - Residential Solar Water Heating Program
FirstEnergy (MetEdison, Penelec, Penn Power, West Penn Power) - Residential Energy Efficiency Programs
Refrigerator: $75
Clothes Washer: $25- $50
Clothes Dryer: $50
Freezers: $25
Dehumidifiers: $25
Fridge/Freezer Recycling: $50
HVAC
HVAC tune up: $50
Furnace Fan Motor: $150
Ductless Minisplit AC : $200
Central AC: $100 - $200
Air Source Heat pump: $250 - $500
Geothermal Heat Pump: $600
Packaged Terminal AC: $75
Packaged Terminal Heat Pump: $150
Programmable Thermostat: $25
Others
Solar Water Heat: $500
Heat Pump Water Heater: $500
Home Energy Audit: $250
Lighting: Available as in-store discount in participating stores
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are designed to mitigate the cost of installing a solar panel system on your home. Financial incentives like these are in place to encourage more people to make the switch to renewable energy. Different types of incentives, including discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits, might be available to you. Certain incentives may be offered by the Pennsylvania government, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while other incentives are federal. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Tax Credits: Tax credits decrease, dollar-for-dollar, how much income tax you owe the government. These differ from tax deductions.
- Net Metering: Net metering is an incentive you can get after your solar system is up and running. If you have a net metering agreement in place with your Colebrookdale utility company, the company will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your monthly utility bill. In some places, this credit is dollar-for-dollar, while in other areas you might make back a percentage of the value.
- Tax Exemptions: These can 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.
- Rebates: Solar rebates might be provided by your local utility company, or by your state or county. These rebates work as partial refunds that are applied after you purchase solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): Generally, solar systems that produce more than a specified (usually small) amount of electricity can qualify for SRECs or similar performance-based incentives. SRECs and the like are typically given at the state level. You can sell SRECs to your utility company or another buyer, and the money you receive is normally considered part of your taxable income.
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Federal Solar Incentives
When you hear the term "solar incentives," federal incentives are likely the first thing that comes to mind. The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, is the most commonly known federal solar incentive. The ITC offers a tax credit for a predetermined percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC can be applied to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 and lets you deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, accessories, equipment and labor. This credit can be claimed on a solar panel system installed on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. The original amount you could claim was 30% of the total cost, although depending on when the project was completed, your credit may range from 26-30%. There is no maximum claim amount.
Your local Colebrookdale solar panel installer can offer more information about the ITC and how it may apply to your situation.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, added more provisions to the ITC (as well as retitling it the Clean Energy Credit). The new Clean Energy Credit extends until 2035. You can now apply for a 30% credit for solar systems installed between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2032. The total credit will then decrease annually until it expires. 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. To fully understand how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you, talk to your local Colebrookdale solar installers.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Tax credits, rebates and more might be claimed at multiple levels. On top of federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones as well. These incentives — which might be provided by the state of Pennsylvania, or by your county or municipality — could be offered on an ongoing basis, or for only a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Colebrookdale
You can apply for solar incentives from the Pennsylvania government and the federal 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. Speak with your local solar panel installer today to learn more and to save the most money possible on a solar system for your Colebrookdale home.
EcoWatch's Colebrookdale, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
How do I learn if I qualify for certain solar incentives?
Broadly, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar panel system
- installed on a property that you own
- within the U.S.
- between the dates specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including ones handled by the Pennsylvania government or by your county/municipality, sometimes have additional qualifications. Speak with your local Colebrookdale solar installer to find out what incentives your project will qualify for.
My home already has solar panels installed. Do I qualify for any incentives?
You should plan to talk to a representative from the company that installed your system — or speak to a local Colebrookdale solar installer — to better understand which incentives you may qualify for. If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Solar systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
What are the top solar panel installation companies near me?
To learn about the top solar panel installation companies near you, take a look at our article on Colebrookdale's top solar panel companies.
I want to change out my appliances for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any incentives I can claim?
With the passage of the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are a number of new financial incentives to encourage you to make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details on these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I use solar and another type of renewable energy in combination to power my home?
You can use multiple types of renewable energy, or a combination of renewable and non-renewable energy, to power your home. Be sure to go over your plan with your local Colebrookdale solar installer. They can help you as you plan for your project and give you an understanding of various incentives that you may or may not qualify for.
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.