2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Lower Moreland, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Lower Moreland.
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 Lower Moreland?
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
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are intended to make renewable energy usage more affordable through financial incentives for those who install solar panels on their homes. Solar incentives may include cash back, upfront discounts or monthly credits towards your utility bill. Some incentives are handled 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:
- Tax Exemptions: These could come in the form of property tax exemptions, which can let you exclude the value added by your solar panels when calculating the taxes you pay on your home. You could also look for exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
- Net Metering: You may be able to sign a net metering agreement with your Lower Moreland utility company that will apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity your solar panels generate. They will then subtract this value from your utility bill each month.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, how much income tax you owe the government. These are different from tax deductions.
- Rebates: Solar rebates can be provided by your local utility company, or by your county or state. These rebates are essentially cash back that is applied after you pay for solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- 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 qualifies for SRECs or similar performance-based incentives. SRECs and similar incentives are generally handled by your state government.
Best National Provider
SunPower
- Most efficient panels on the market
- National coverage
- Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
- Great warranty coverage
- Expensive
- Customer service varies by local dealer
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 type of incentives that you are most likely to have some knowledge of. 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 predetermined percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC applies to 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 claim the credit. The ITC originally paid out 30% of all system installation costs (panels, accessories, labor and equipment), 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.
Your local Lower Moreland solar panel installation expert can give you more information about the ITC and how it applies to your situation.
In August 2022, the ITC (now called the Clean Energy Credit) was bolstered by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. 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 percentage will decrease slightly each year until the end of the program in 2035. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make it easier to get credit for energy storage systems.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Lower Moreland solar panel installers are the best people to answer your questions regarding the new Clean Energy Credit and how it may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be provided by state and local governments. As with federal incentives, these can include rebates, tax credits and more. These incentives might be provided by your county or municipality, or by the Pennsylvania government. Some are available for a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Lower Moreland
The large number of available solar incentives has helped tremendously increase the adoption of solar energy nationwide over the past 15 years. You may receive solar incentives from the federal government, the Pennsylvania government or from your local utility company. Talking to your local Lower Moreland solar panel installation company is a great first step towards getting the most money possible when you switch to solar energy.
EcoWatch's Lower Moreland, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
How can I find out if I qualify for solar incentives?
Broadly, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar panel 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, might have additional qualifications. Get in touch with your local Lower Moreland solar installer to discover what incentives your project will qualify for.
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar?
Solar energy is renewable — by switching where you get your energy, you help lessen the strain on our planet's resources. You can also reduce your home's CO2 emissions by 250 pounds annually, or around 5,000 pounds over 20 years.
When does the federal solar tax credit end?
The federal solar tax credit, formerly called the ITC and now named 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.
Can I apply for incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order that incentives will be applied in could vary depending on which incentives you receive but in most cases yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Check with your solar installer or a local tax professional to make sure you are claiming all the incentives you qualify for and applying them in the correct order.
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.