2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Green Tree, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Green Tree.
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 Green Tree?
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
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. This category of financial incentives is in place to encourage more homeowners to make the switch to renewable energy. You might qualify for different kinds of incentives, such as cash back, discounts or monthly utility bill credits, depending on your situation. Certain incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the Pennsylvania government and others from the federal government. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panels might qualify for exemptions on both sales and property tax. Sales tax exemptions are applied at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions allow you to exclude the added value of the solar panels when you are calculating property taxes on your home.
- Net Metering: Don't forget to talk to your Green Tree utility company about signing a net metering contract. This allows 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.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and other performance-based incentives might be available to you if you have a solar system that produces more than a specified (typically small) amount of electricity. This category of incentives is usually handled by the state government. You can sell the SRECs you receive to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you make is normally considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits decrease, dollar-for-dollar, the total amount of tax you owe the government. Tax credits differ from tax deductions.
- Rebates: Solar companies may help you claim a rebate, or partial refund after purchase, for your solar panels. States or counties will also sometimes offer limited-time rebates. The value of a rebate will usually come off your total price before tax credits are calculated.
Best Regional Coverage
Momentum Solar
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- Slightly limited service offerings
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the kind of incentives that you are most likely to have some knowledge of. The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, is probably the best-known federal solar incentive. The ITC offers a tax credit for a set percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC can be credited towards 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 be eligible for the credit. Originally, the ITC covered 30% of all costs (panels, equipment, accessories and labor), although the amount has fluctuated over the 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.
Have questions about how the ITC applies to your specific situation? Get in touch with your local Green Tree solar panel installer to get more information.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, added more provisions to the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). For solar system installations that begin after January 1, 2022 and are completed by the end of 2032, homeowners can apply for a credit equal to 30% of the total cost. This percentage will decrease annually after 2032 until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. The expansion also makes it easier to get credit for energy storage systems, beginning in 2023.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. Your local Green Tree 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
Some solar incentives are often also provided by state and local governments. As with federal incentives, these might include rebates, tax credits and more. The incentives — which may be handled by your county or municipality, or by the state of Pennsylvania — could be offered on an ongoing basis, or for only a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Green Tree
Solar incentives can be provided by the federal government, the Pennsylvania government or your local utility company. The large number of available incentives has contributed to a large increase in solar energy use in the last 15 years. Speak with your local solar panel installation expert today to discover more about the various programs and to save the most money possible on solar panels for your Green Tree home.
EcoWatch's Green Tree, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
How do I know if I qualify for specific solar incentives?
Broadly, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar panel system
- installed on a property that you own
- within the U.S.
- within the date range specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including those given out by the Pennsylvania government or by your county/municipality, could have additional qualifications. Speak with your local Green Tree solar installer to discover what incentives your project will qualify for.
I already have solar panels. Are there any incentives that I qualify for?
You should plan to talk to the company that installed your solar panels — or call a local Green Tree solar installer — to clarify 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. 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 add solar panels to my Green Tree home?
Once you add solar panels to your Green Tree home, you can anticipate savings of around $852.62 per year, or around $16,199.86 over the next 20 years.
What are the best solar panel installation companies near me?
To find a top-rated solar panel installer, check out our guide to Green Tree's top solar panel companies.
How long until the federal solar tax credit ends?
The federal solar tax credit, previously called the ITC and now named the Clean Energy Credit, is set to end January 1, 2035. The current 30% credit will end in 2032, replaced by a 26% credit in 2033 and a 22% credit in 2034.
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.