2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Hamilton, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Hamilton.
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 Hamilton?
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/
The phrase "solar incentives" refers broadly to financial incentives put in place by solar companies and the government to encourage the use of renewable energy by making installing and using solar panels more affordable. Solar incentives may include cash back, upfront discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are provided by the federal government, some by the state of Pennsylvania and some by your utility company, county or municipality. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Net Metering: Net metering becomes relevant after your solar system is up and running. If you have a net metering agreement with your Hamilton utility company, the company will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your monthly utility bill. In some places, this credit is dollar-for-dollar, while in other places you may get refunded a percentage of the value.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panels could qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions come into effect at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you exclude the value added by your solar panels when calculating property taxes on your home.
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund after the purchase of your solar panels. These may be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The discount that rebates offer is normally applied to the price of solar panels before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Credits: Unlike tax deductions, tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs are credits that can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for money that is generally considered part of your taxable income. Generally, there is a small threshold of energy production to meet before your solar system qualifies for SRECs or similar performance-based incentives. SRECs and similar incentives are normally handled at the state level.
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Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the type of incentives that you are most likely to have some familiarity with. The solar incentive that you may be most familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which gives you a credit on your taxes equal to a percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC can be applied to a solar system installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar system has to have been installed after January 1, 2006 on a property owned by you for you to claim the credit. The ITC initially covered 30% of all installation costs (panels, labor, equipment and accessories), 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 amount you can claim.
To better understand how the ITC might apply to you, call your local Hamilton solar panel installer and request more information.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act made revisions to the ITC, now called the Clean Energy Credit. Homeowners can now receive a credit equal to 30% of the total costs of solar system installation for projects started after January 1, 2022 and completed before the end of 2032. This percentage will then decrease annually until the Clean Energy Credit 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. To understand how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you, get in touch with your local Hamilton solar installation expert.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Rebates, tax credits and more might be provided at multiple levels. In addition to federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones, too. These incentives may be distributed by the Pennsylvania government, or by your county or municipality. Some incentives may be ongoing, while others are available for a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Hamilton
You can apply for solar incentives from the Pennsylvania government and the federal government, as well as from your local utility company. The growing availability of solar initiatives in the past 15 years has helped increase nationwide solar energy use enormously. We recommend talking to your local Hamilton solar installation company for more information about these incentives and to make sure that you're getting the most money possible for your solar panels.
EcoWatch's Hamilton, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
What if I want to add a solar system to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property? Do I still qualify for incentives?
Many solar incentives apply to a property located within the United States that you own, and most secondary residences fall into this category. Other solar incentives may be available for commercial properties, depending on the details. We recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to fully understand what incentives apply to your specific situation.
How can I find out if I qualify for certain solar incentives?
In most cases, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar panel system
- installed on a property that you own
- within the U.S.
- between the dates specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including those given out by the Pennsylvania government or by your county/municipality, may have additional qualifications. Get in touch with your local Hamilton solar installer to find out what incentives your project may qualify for.
If I already have a solar system installed on my house, can I still claim incentives?
If your solar system was installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. If you had your system installed between 2006 and 2021, you may qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the date of installation. Speaking with the company that installed your solar system, or any local Hamilton solar installer, can help you understand what incentives you qualify for.
How much will a solar system save me annually on my electric bill in Hamilton?
On average, Hamilton homeowners who install solar panels save about $794.29 per year, or about $15,091.52 over 20 years after making the switch.
What are some environmental benefits of installing solar panels on my home?
Solar energy is renewable — by switching where you get your energy, you can help reduce the strain on our planet's resources. You can also reduce the CO2 emissions from your home by 250 pounds yearly, or roughly 5,000 pounds in 20 years.
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.