2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Huntingdon, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Huntingdon.
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 Huntingdon?
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/
The phrase "solar incentives" broadly refers to financial incentives that are in place to encourage increased use of renewable energy by making the installation and use of solar panels more affordable. Various types of incentives, including cash back, discounts or monthly utility bill credits, might be available to you. Some incentives may be offered by the Pennsylvania government, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while other incentives are federal. Categories of solar incentives include:
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panel system might qualify for exemptions on both sales and property tax. Sales tax exemptions come into effect at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you exclude the value that solar panels add when calculating property taxes on your home.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, how much income tax you owe the government. These are different from tax deductions.
- Net Metering: Make sure you speak with your Huntingdon utility company about signing a net metering contract. This will allow you to receive credit towards your utility bill every month for the value of excess energy your solar panels generate. You might receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
- Rebates: Rebates, or partial refunds after a purchase, are normally given before any solar tax credits are calculated. Rebates may be given by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for money that is generally considered part of your taxable income. In most cases, you must meet a certain (small) threshold of energy production before your solar system is eligible for SRECs or other performance-based incentives. Incentives like these are generally handled at the state level.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the kind of incentives that you are most likely to have heard of. You've likely 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 installing solar panels.
The ITC can be applied to solar panels installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar panels must have been installed after January 1, 2006 on a property you own for you to be eligible for the credit. The ITC originally paid out 30% of all system installation costs (panels, equipment, labor and accessories), although the total amount has fluctuated over time between 26-30%. The amount you qualify for will depend on when your solar system was installed. There is no cap on the claim amount.
To best understand how the ITC could apply to you, call your local Huntingdon solar panel installation expert and ask for 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). The Clean Energy Credit has increased the current credit up to 30% for solar installations undertaken between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2032. After this, the credit percentage will decrease slightly each year until the program expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, it will also be easier to obtain credits for energy storage systems under the new laws.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. The easiest way to understand how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you is to get in touch with your local Huntingdon solar panel company.
State & Local Solar Incentives
There are more than just federal solar incentives; tax credits, rebates and more are often offered at the state and local level. These incentives may be handled by the Pennsylvania government, or by your county or municipality. Certain incentives are available for a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Huntingdon
The large number of available solar incentives has enormously increased the adoption of solar energy nationwide over the past 15 years. You may receive solar incentives from the Pennsylvania government, the federal government or your local utility company. Your local Huntingdon solar panel installation expert can give you more information 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 Huntingdon, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
Can I claim incentives for adding solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property?
While we recommend getting in touch with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what solar incentives apply to you, many incentives will apply to a second home, so long as that home is in the United States and owned by you. There may be other incentives available specifically for commercial properties, depending on the specifics.
How do I know if I qualify for specific solar incentives?
Generally, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar system
- installed on property 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, could have additional qualifications. Speak with your local Huntingdon solar installer to discover what incentives your project will qualify for.
When does the federal solar tax credit end?
The federal solar tax credit, formerly called the ITC and now titled the Clean Energy Credit, is slated 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.
If I trade in my appliances for ones that utilize solar energy, are there any benefits I can claim?
Under the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are a variety of new financial incentives that are available when you make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details about these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I apply for incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
Yes, you can receive both rebates and tax credits towards the cost of solar panels. Depending on which incentives you are receiving, they may apply in a different order. Make sure that you talk to your solar installer or a local tax professional to confirm that you are claiming incentives correctly and getting the most money you can.
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.