2024 Solar Incentives Guide for East Bradford, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in East Bradford.
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 East Bradford?
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
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
The phrase "solar incentives" covers a wide range of financial incentives implemented to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. Solar incentives could include upfront discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are handled by the federal government, some by the Pennsylvania government and some by your utility company, county or municipality. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and other performance-based incentives may be available to you if the solar system on your home produces over a specified (usually small) amount of electricity. These types of incentives are usually handled by the state government. You can sell SRECs to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you receive in return is generally considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar system might qualify for exemptions on both sales and property tax. Sales tax exemptions are effective at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions allow you to exclude the value that solar panels add when calculating property taxes on your house.
- Rebates: Your solar installer might help you claim a rebate, or partial refund after purchase, for your solar system. Counties or states will also sometimes offer limited-time rebates. If you receive a rebate, that amount will usually be deducted from your total price before any tax credits are calculated.
- Net Metering: You can sign a net metering agreement with your East Bradford utility company that will apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity that is generated by your solar panels. Your utility company will then subtract this value from your monthly utility bill.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government. (This is different from a tax deduction.)
Best Regional Coverage
Momentum Solar
- Great warranty coverage
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- Concierge service ensures steady communication
- Slightly limited service offerings
Best for Leasing
Sunrun
- Expansive service area
- Many financing options
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Some reported issues with door-to-door sales
Federal Solar Incentives
When you hear the term "solar incentives," federal incentives might be the first thing that comes to mind. You've likely 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 solar panels for your home.
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 on a property you own after January 1, 2006, for you to claim the credit. The ITC initially covered 30% of all costs (panels, labor, accessories and equipment), although this amount has fluctuated over the last few 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.
Reaching out to your local East Bradford solar panel installation expert is the best way to understand how the ITC could 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). The Clean Energy Credit bolsters the current credit, increasing it up to 30% for solar installations undertaken between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2032. After this, the percentage will decrease slightly each year until the program expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, the expansion to the program will also make it easier to get credit for energy storage systems.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. The easiest way to understand how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you is to speak with your local East Bradford solar panel company directly.
State & Local Solar Incentives
In addition to federal solar incentives, there are often also state ones. Rebates, tax credits and more can be offered at a more local level. Some incentives are offered for only a limited time, while others are ongoing. Your local incentives might come from the Pennsylvania government, or from your specific county or municipality.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in East Bradford
There are a variety of solar incentives: those offered by local utility companies, those given by the federal government and those offered by the Pennsylvania government, to name a few. The use of solar energy has grown tremendously in the last 15 years, thanks to these incentives. Reaching out to your local East Bradford solar panel installation expert is the best first step towards making sure you get all the incentives you qualify for when you switch to solar energy.
EcoWatch's East Bradford, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
My home already has solar panels. Does my system qualify for any incentives?
If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. If your system was installed between 2006 and 2021, you may qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the exact installation date. Talking to the company that installed your solar system, or any local East Bradford solar installer, can help you learn more about what incentives you qualify for.
What are the top solar panel installation companies near me?
To find the right solar panel installer for you, check out our guide to East Bradford's best solar panel companies.
Can I use a combination of 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 geothermal and solar. You can also use both renewable energy sources and a backup source of non-renewable energy. You should discuss the details of your plan with your local East Bradford solar installation expert, to get an understanding of what will be needed and what types of incentives you might or might not qualify for.
Can I receive any incentives when I add solar panels to a vacation home, rental property 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, provided that it is in the United States and owned by you. There may be additional 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.