2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Lower Paxton, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Lower Paxton.
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 Lower Paxton?
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 put in place to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. Incentives might include things like discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits. Some incentives are offered federally, while others are provided by the state of Pennsylvania or by your utility company, county or municipality. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Rebates: Solar rebates might be offered by your local utility company, or by your county or state. These rebates are essentially partial refunds that are applied after your purchase of solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Net Metering: You may be able to sign a net metering agreement with your Lower Paxton utility company. This agreement may apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity that is generated by your solar panels. Your utility company will then subtract this value from your utility bill each month.
- Tax Exemptions: These might come in the form of property tax exemptions, which allow you to ignore the value added by your solar panels when paying property tax on your home. You could also look for exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and other performance-based incentives might be available to you if the solar system on your home produces over a specified (usually small) amount of electricity. These types of incentives are usually handled at the state level. You can sell the SRECs you receive to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you make is generally considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax you owe the federal government. Tax credits differ from tax deductions.
Federal Solar Incentives
When thinking about solar incentives, federal incentives are likely the first thing that comes to mind. An incentive many people are probably familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This is a tax credit for a given percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC can be applied to the total cost of solar system installation, including the panels themselves as well as equipment, accessories and labor. This credit can be claimed 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 Lower Paxton solar panel installation expert.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, expanded and extended the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). Homeowners can now receive a credit of 30% of the total solar system installation costs for projects started after January 1, 2022 and completed before the end of 2032. The credit percentage will then begin to decrease on a yearly basis until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. The best way to learn more about how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you is to speak with your local Lower Paxton solar panel installers directly.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be provided at the state and local level. As with federal incentives, these may include tax credits, rebates and more. These solar incentives — which may be provided by the state of Pennsylvania, or by your county or municipality — may be offered for only a limited time, or on an ongoing basis.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Lower Paxton
You can receive solar incentives from the Pennsylvania government and the federal government, as well as from your local utility company. The growing availability of solar initiatives over the last 15 years has helped increase solar adoption nationwide. Speaking with your local Lower Paxton solar panel installation expert is the best first step towards making sure you get all the incentives you qualify for when you switch to solar energy.
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EcoWatch's Lower Paxton, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
Can I get any financial incentives when I add solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property?
Many solar incentives apply to a property you own that is located within the United States; most secondary residences fall under this distinction. There may be other solar incentives available for commercial properties, depending on the details. We recommend getting in touch with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to fully understand what incentives apply to your specific situation.
My home already has solar panels. Are there any incentives that I qualify for?
You should plan to talk to the company that installed your system — or get in touch with a local Lower Paxton solar installer — to better understand which incentives you might qualify for. If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
Who installs solar panel systems near me?
To find the top solar panel installation companies near you, read our article on Lower Paxton's top solar panel companies.
Can I receive 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 are claiming but in most cases yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Talk with your solar installer or a local tax professional to confirm you are claiming all the incentives you are eligible for and applying them in the correct order.
Can I use solar and another type of renewable energy in combination to power my home?
Yes, you can use multiple types of renewable energy to power your home — for example, a combination of solar and wind power. You can also combine renewable energy generation with a backup source of non-renewable energy. Be sure to discuss your proposed plan with your local Lower Paxton solar panel installer, so that you understand what you'll need and what incentives you may or may 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.