2023 Solar Incentives Guide for East Cocalico, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in East Cocalico.
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 May 04, 2023
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in East Cocalico?
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 solar panels on your home. These financial incentives are designed to encourage more homeowners to make the switch to renewable energy. Different kinds of incentives, such as cash back, discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill, might be available to you. Some incentives may be offered by the state of Pennsylvania, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while others are federal. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Net Metering: Make sure you speak to your East Cocalico utility company about signing a net metering agreement. This will allow you to receive credit towards your utility bill every month for the value of excess energy generated by your solar panels. You may receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions are applied at the time of purchase for your solar panels. Property tax exemptions let you exclude the value added by your solar system when calculating how much property tax you need to pay on your home.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for cash that typically becomes part of your taxable income. In most cases, you must meet a certain (small) threshold of energy production before your solar system qualifies for SRECs or other performance-based incentives. These kinds of incentives are generally handled by your state government.
- 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.)
- Rebates: Rebates, or cash back after a purchase, are typically given before any solar tax credits are calculated. These rebates may be given by your local utility company, by your state or by your county.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the kind of incentives that you are most likely to have some knowledge of. 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 percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC is applied to the total cost of solar system installation, including the panels themselves as well as labor, accessories and equipment. This credit can be claimed for panels installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence that you own and that is located in the United States. From its original value of 30% of the total cost, the credit has fluctuated slightly between 26-30%, and you may qualify for varying percentages depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
Contacting your local East Cocalico solar panel installer is the best way to understand how the ITC may apply to your situation.
The ITC was both renewed and expanded by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. It's also now called the Clean Energy Credit. The Clean Energy Credit re-raises the credit up to 30% for solar systems installed between 2022 and 2032. After this, the percentage will see a slight decrease annually until the end of the program in 2035. The program 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. Your local East Cocalico solar panel installation expert is the best person to answer your questions regarding the new Clean Energy Credit and how it may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
In addition to federal solar incentives, there are often also state ones. Tax credits, rebates and more might be available at a more local level. These solar incentives — which may be provided by the state of Pennsylvania, or by your county or municipality — could be offered for only a limited time, or on an ongoing basis.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in East Cocalico
You can qualify for solar incentives from the Pennsylvania government and the federal government, as well as from your local utility company. The increased availability of solar initiatives in the past 15 years has helped increase solar adoption nationwide. Your local East Cocalico solar panel installation company can provide you with more details about which incentives you should apply for, and get you feeling good about making the change to renewable energy today.
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EcoWatch's East Cocalico, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
How do I learn if I qualify for solar incentives?
Generally, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar system
- installed on property that you own
- within the U.S.
- within the date range specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including ones handled by the Pennsylvania government or by your county/municipality, sometimes have additional qualifications. Talk to your local East Cocalico solar installer to find out what incentives your project may qualify for.
My home already has solar panels. Do I qualify for any incentives?
An excellent idea would be to talk to a representative from the company that installed your system — or call a local East Cocalico solar installer — to better understand which incentives you might 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%.
How much can I save on my electric bill annually if I install solar panels on my East Cocalico home?
On average, homeowners in East Cocalico who install solar panels save approximately $771.66 per year, or approximately $14,661.52 over 20 years after they make the switch.
What are the best solar panel installation companies near me?
To find a top-rated solar panel installer, check out our guide to East Cocalico's top solar panel companies.
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar energy?
You can decrease your carbon footprint by 250 pounds of CO2 a year by switching to solar panels. This adds up to around 5,000 pounds over 20 years. In addition, solar power is a renewable energy source, meaning that making the switch reduces the drain on our planet's resources.
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.