2023 Solar Incentives Guide for McCandless, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in McCandless.
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 McCandless?
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
Duquesne Light Company - Residential Energy Efficiency Program
Central A/C / Heat Pumps: $100/ton
ENERGY STAR Certified Heat Pump Water Heater: $350
Solar Water Heater: $300
Ceiling/Floor/Wall Insulation: $0.23/square foot
ENERGY STAR Certified Dehumidifier: $20
ENERGY STAR Certified Refrigerator: $25
ENERGY STAR Certified Freezer: $10
ENERGY STAR Certified Room Air Conditioner: $25
ENERGY STAR Variable Speed Pool Pump: $200
Occupancy Sensor Based Control: $10
Smart Strip Surge Protector: $5
Furnace with High Efficiency Fan Motor: $100
Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump: $100
Refrigerator/Freezer Recycling: $35
Duquesne Light Company - Residential Solar Water Heating 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/
Solar incentives are meant to help mitigate the cost of installing solar panels on your home. Financial incentives like these are designed to encourage more homeowners to convert their home partially or fully to renewable energy. You may be eligible for several kinds of incentives, including discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits, depending on your situation. Certain incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the Pennsylvania government and others from the federal government. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- Net Metering: Net metering is an incentive you can get once your solar panels are up and running. If you have a net metering agreement with your McCandless utility company, they will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your utility bill each month. In some areas, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in others you may receive a refund equivalent to a percentage of the value.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in the amount of tax that you owe the government.
- Rebates: Rebates, or cash back after a purchase, are typically given before any solar tax credits are calculated. Rebates may be given by your local utility company, by your state or by your county.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and other performance-based incentives may be available to you if you have a solar system that produces more than a specified (typically small) amount of electricity. This category of incentives is usually handled by the state government. You can sell any SRECs you have to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you receive in return is normally considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Exemptions: These could come in the form of property tax exemptions, which let you ignore the value added by your solar panels when paying property tax on your house. You may also qualify for an exemption on sales tax at the time of purchase.
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Federal Solar Incentives
When you think about solar incentives, you probably think of federal incentives first. It's likely that you've heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This is a tax credit equal to a specified percentage of the money you spend on solar panels for your home.
The ITC can be applied to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 and allows you to deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, labor, accessories and equipment. This credit can be claimed on a solar panel system installed on a primary or secondary residence that you own in the United States. The original claim amount was 30% of the total cost, although depending on when the project was completed, your credit may range from 26-30%. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
Curious how the ITC might apply to your specific situation? Get in touch with your local McCandless solar panel installer to get more information.
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 systems installed between 2022 and 2032. At this point, the percentage will see a slight decrease annually until the end of the program in 2035. Starting in 2023, the expansion to the program will also make claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. To better understand how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you, talk to your local McCandless solar installation company.
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. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others are offered for only a limited time. These local incentives might come from your county or municipality, or from the Pennsylvania government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in McCandless
You can apply for and receive solar incentives from the Pennsylvania government and the federal government, as well as from your local utility company. Growing availability of solar initiatives over the last 15 years has helped greatly increase nationwide adoption of solar energy. Speaking with your local McCandless solar panel installation expert is a great first step towards making sure you get all the incentives you qualify for when you switch to solar energy.
EcoWatch's McCandless, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
Can I receive any incentives when I add solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property?
While we recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to better understand what solar incentives apply to you, many will apply to a second home, as long as it is in the United States and owned by you. There may be other incentives available for commercial properties specifically, depending on the details.
How can I find out if I qualify for different solar incentives?
Typically, 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 run by the Pennsylvania government or by your county/municipality, sometimes have additional qualifications. Get in touch with your local McCandless solar installer to discover what incentives your project may qualify for.
I already have solar panels installed. Are there any incentives that I qualify for?
If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. If you installed your system between 2006 and 2021, you may qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the year it was installed. Speaking with a representative from the company that installed your system, or any local McCandless solar installer, can help you understand what incentives you can apply for.
What are the best solar panel installation companies near me?
To find the best solar panel installer in your area, check out our guide to the top solar companies in McCandless.
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar?
Solar energy is renewable — by switching where you get your energy, you help reduce the strain on our planet's resources. You can also reduce the CO2 emissions from your home by 250 pounds yearly, or around 5,000 pounds over 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.