2025 Solar Incentives Guide for Guilford, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Guilford.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2024 and beyond)
- Ways to optimize your solar investment
Solar installers are experts in maximizing your solar tax credits and rebates.
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Guilford?
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
Adams Electric Cooperative - Energy Efficiency Loan 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. These financial incentives are intended to encourage more homeowners to switch to renewable energy. You may qualify for different types of incentives, such as discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits, depending on your situation. Certain incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the state of Pennsylvania and others from the federal government. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for money that normally counts as part of your taxable income. In most cases, there is a small threshold of energy production to meet before your solar system can earn SRECs or other performance-based incentives. SRECs and similar incentives are normally handled by your state government.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions that lower the amount of income tax you owe the government. (A tax credit is different from a tax deduction.)
- Net Metering: Don't forget to speak with your Guilford utility company about signing a net metering agreement. This will allow you to get a 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.
- Rebates: A solar rebate is a partial refund given after you've purchased your solar panels. Rebates might be offered by your local utility company, your state or your county. The rebates are usually applied before calculating tax credits.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panels could 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 ignore the added value of the solar panels when you are calculating property taxes on your house.
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
Federal incentives are the kind of incentives that you are most likely to have some familiarity with. You may have heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This incentive is a tax credit that reduces your taxes by a specified percentage of the money you spend installing solar panels.
The ITC applies to the total cost of solar system installation, including the panels themselves as well as accessories, equipment and labor. You can claim this credit for panels installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence located in the United States that you own. Originally set at 30% of total costs, the credit has fluctuated over time, and you may qualify for different amounts depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum claim amount.
To better understand exactly how much money the ITC could save you, speak with your local Guilford solar panel installer.
In August 2022, the ITC (now referred to as the Clean Energy Credit) was bolstered by the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act. The Clean Energy Credit has increased the current credit up to 30% for solar systems installed between 2022 and 2032. After this, the credit percentage will see a slight decrease annually until the program expires in 2035. Beginning in 2023, it will also be easier to obtain credits for energy storage systems with the new act.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Guilford solar panel installer can answer your questions and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Rebates, tax credits and more can be provided at multiple levels. In addition to federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones as well. Some incentives are offered for only a limited time, while others are ongoing. Local solar incentives may come from the Pennsylvania government, or from your specific county or municipality.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Guilford
There are a variety of solar incentives: those provided by local utility companies, those provided by the Pennsylvania government and those offered by the federal government, to name a few. Solar energy utilization has grown tremendously in the last 15 years, partially thanks to these incentives. Your local Guilford solar panel installer can provide you with more details about which incentives you may qualify for, and get you on track to switch to renewable energy today.
EcoWatch's Guilford, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
How much will a solar system save me annually on my electric bill in Guilford?
After adding solar panels to your Guilford home, you can expect to save approximately $737.75 per year, or around $14,017.34 over 20 years.
What are the environmental benefits of switching to solar?
You can decrease your carbon footprint by 250 pounds of CO2 annually by installing solar panels. This adds up to approximately 5,000 pounds over 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, which means that switching your home over lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
I want to switch my appliances out for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any credits I can get?
The new Inflation Reduction Act creates several new financial incentives that are available when you 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 qualify for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
Yes, you can receive both tax credits and rebates towards the cost of solar panels. Depending on which incentives you are claiming, they may apply in a different order. Make sure that you speak with your solar installer or a local tax professional to confirm that you are claiming incentives correctly and getting the most money you can.
Can I use both solar and another type of renewable energy to power my home?
Yes, you can utilize multiple types of renewable energy to power your home — for example, a combination of solar and geothermal. You can also combine renewable energy generation with a non-renewable backup source of energy. Make sure that you discuss the details of your plan with your local Guilford solar panel installer, so that you understand what you'll need and what incentives you will or won't 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.