2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Limerick, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Limerick.
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 Limerick?
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" includes a range of financial incentives implemented to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. You might qualify for several kinds of incentives, such as cash back, discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill, depending on your situation. Some 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: Tax exemptions can come in two forms. The first is sales tax exemption, applied when you purchase solar panels. The second is property tax exemption. This allows you to ignore the added value of your solar system when calculating property tax for your home.
- Rebates: Solar rebates might be offered by your county or state, or by your local utility company. These rebates are essentially cash back that is applied after you pay for a solar system and before tax credits are calculated.
- Net Metering: Net metering is an incentive you can get after your solar system is up and running. If you've signed a net metering agreement with your Limerick utility company, it will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your utility bill each month. In some places, this credit is dollar-for-dollar, while in other places you may make back a percentage of the value.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits decrease, dollar-for-dollar, how much income tax you owe the government. These are different from tax deductions.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): In most cases, solar systems that produce over a threshold (usually small) amount of electricity qualify for SRECs or other performance-based incentives. SRECs and similar incentives are typically provided by your state government. SRECs can be sold to your utility company or another buyer, and this is usually considered part of your taxable income.
Federal Solar Incentives
When thinking about 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. The ITC is a tax credit that reduces your taxes by a specified percentage of the money you spend on solar panels for your home.
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. The ITC initially covered 30% of all system installation costs (panels, accessories, labor and equipment), although the amount has fluctuated over the last few years between 26-30%. The amount you qualify for will depend on when your solar system was installed. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.
Your local Limerick solar panel installation expert can offer more information about the ITC and how it applies to your situation.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, made some changes to the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). The Clean Energy Credit re-raises the credit up to 30% for solar installation projects started after January 1, 2022 and completed by the end of 2032. At this point, the percentage will decrease slightly each year until the end of the program in 2035. The expansion also makes claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before, beginning in 2023.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. The easiest way to understand how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you is to speak with your local Limerick solar panel installers directly.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also offered at the local or state level. Similar to federal incentives, these might include tax credits, rebates and more. These solar incentives — which might be given by the state of Pennsylvania, or by your county or municipality — might be offered for only a limited time, or on an ongoing basis.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Limerick
The large number of available solar incentives has contributed greatly to the increase in the adoption of solar energy nationwide over the last 15 years. You might qualify for solar incentives from the Pennsylvania government, the federal government or your local utility company. Speak with your local solar panel installer today to discover more about the various programs and to save as much money as possible on a solar system for your Limerick home.
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EcoWatch's Limerick, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
Can I receive any incentives when I add solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property?
While we recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what solar incentives apply to you, many will apply to a second home, provided that it is in the United States and owned by you. There may be other incentives available specifically for commercial properties, depending on the details.
How much can I save annually on my electric bill if I add solar panels to my Limerick home?
When you add solar panels to your Limerick home, you can expect to save about $796.50 per year, or about $15,133.45 over the next 20 years.
What are the environmental benefits of switching to solar?
You can lower your carbon footprint by 250 pounds of CO2 a year when you install solar panels. This adds up to approximately 5,000 pounds in 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, meaning that making the switch reduces the drain on our planet's resources.
Can I claim incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
Yes, you can claim both rebates and tax credits towards the cost of your solar panels. Depending on which incentives you are applying for, they may apply in a different order. Make sure that you talk to your solar installer or a local tax professional to verify that you are claiming incentives correctly and getting the most money you can.
Can I use a combination of multiple types of renewable energy to power my home?
You can power your home with multiple types of renewable energy, or a combination of renewable and non-renewable energy. Be sure to talk through your plan with your local Limerick solar installer. They can help you plan your project and give you an understanding of various incentives that you might or might not 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.