2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Elizabeth, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Elizabeth.
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 Elizabeth?
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
Duquesne Light Company - Residential Energy Efficiency Program
Central A/C / Heat Pumps: $100/ton
ENERGY STAR Certified Heat Pump Water Heater: $350
Solar Water Heater: $300
Ceiling/Floor/Wall Insulation: $0.23/square foot
ENERGY STAR Certified Dehumidifier: $20
ENERGY STAR Certified Refrigerator: $25
ENERGY STAR Certified Freezer: $10
ENERGY STAR Certified Room Air Conditioner: $25
ENERGY STAR Variable Speed Pool Pump: $200
Occupancy Sensor Based Control: $10
Smart Strip Surge Protector: $5
Furnace with High Efficiency Fan Motor: $100
Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump: $100
Refrigerator/Freezer Recycling: $35
Duquesne Light Company - Residential Solar Water Heating 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 encourage people to switch their home over to renewable energy by offering incentives that lower the financial burden of solar panel installation and use. The incentives can include upfront discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are offered by the federal government, some by the Pennsylvania government and some by your utility company, county or municipality. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and other performance-based incentives are normally handled at the state level. Once your solar system meets a predetermined threshold (generally a small amount of energy production), you are eligible to receive SRECs that you can then sell to your utility company or other buyers. The money you receive is generally considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Credits: Different from tax deductions, tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panel system may qualify for exemptions on both sales and property tax. Sales tax exemptions are applied at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you ignore the value that solar panels add when calculating property taxes on your home.
- Net Metering: Don't forget to talk with your Elizabeth utility company about signing a net metering agreement. This allows you to receive credit towards your utility bill every month for the value of excess energy generated by your solar panels. You might receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
- Rebates: Solar rebates may be offered by your local utility company, or by your county or state. These rebates are essentially partial refunds that are applied after you purchase a solar system and before tax credits are calculated.
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Momentum Solar
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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. It's likely that you've heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This incentive is a tax credit that reduces your taxes by a certain percentage of the money you spend on solar panels for your home.
The ITC applies to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence that you own in the United States. The credit initially covered 30% of the total cost — for panels, labor, accessories and equipment — although it may range from 26-30%, depending on when your solar system was installed. There is no cap on the claim amount.
To know exactly how much money the ITC could save you, contact your local Elizabeth solar panel installer.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act made revisions to the ITC, now referred to as the Clean Energy Credit. Now, solar installation projects that are completed between 2022 and 2032 may be eligible for a 30% tax credit. This credit amount will then decrease slightly each year until the current Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. Beginning in 2023, it will also be easier to get credits for energy storage systems under this new program.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Elizabeth solar panel installation expert is the best person to answer your questions about the new Clean Energy Credit and how it may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
There are more than just federal solar incentives; rebates, tax credits and more are often offered at the local or state level. The incentives — which may be given by your county or municipality, or by the state of Pennsylvania — may be offered for only a limited time, or on an ongoing basis.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Elizabeth
Solar energy use nationwide has significantly increased in the last 15 years, in part due to the growth in the number of solar incentives. You can obtain these incentives from the Pennsylvania government, the federal government or your local utility company. Your local Elizabeth solar panel installation expert can help you learn more about which incentives you should apply for, and get you started on the path to switching to renewable energy today.
EcoWatch's Elizabeth, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
What if I add a solar system to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property? Do I still qualify for incentives?
Many solar incentives are intended to apply to a property you own that is located within the United States, and most secondary residences fall into this category. There may be other solar incentives available for commercial properties, depending on the specifics. We recommend getting in touch with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what incentives may apply to your specific situation.
If I already have a solar system installed on my house, can I still claim 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. Speaking with the company that installed your system, or any local Elizabeth solar installer, can help you learn what incentives you qualify for.
How much will solar panels save me on my electric bill in Elizabeth annually?
After adding solar panels to your Elizabeth home, you can anticipate savings of around $686.77 per year, or around $13,048.57 over 20 years.
If I trade in my appliances for ones that can utilize solar energy, are there any incentives that I can claim?
With the passage of the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are a variety of new financial incentives to encourage you to make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details regarding these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I receive incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order your incentives will be applied in might vary depending on which incentives you are claiming but typically yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Check with your solar installer or a local tax professional to be sure you are claiming all of the incentives you qualify for and applying them in the correct order.
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.