2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Munhall, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Munhall.
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 Munhall?
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
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are meant to help mitigate the cost of installing a solar panel system on your home. These financial incentives are designed to encourage more people to switch their home over to renewable energy. You may qualify for several kinds of incentives, including discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits, 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. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Rebates: Your solar installer might help you claim a rebate, or partial refund of your purchase, for your solar panels. States or counties will also sometimes offer limited-time rebates. Any rebates you receive will usually be deducted from your total price before tax credits are calculated.
- Net Metering: Don't forget to talk to your Munhall 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 may receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panel system could qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions are applied at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions allow you to ignore the value that solar panels add when you are calculating property taxes on your home.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): Generally, solar systems that produce more than a specified (normally small) amount of electricity qualify for SRECs or similar performance-based incentives. SRECs and the like are typically given by your state government. You can sell SRECs to your utility company or another buyer, and the money you receive is normally considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much in taxes you owe the government.
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
Solar Veteran
Trinity Solar
- Many financing options
- Family-owned and -operated
- Makes charitable contributions
- Limited service area
- Relatively short workmanship warranty
Federal Solar Incentives
When thinking about solar incentives, you likely think of federal incentives first. 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 the cost of your solar system.
The ITC applies to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence that you own in the United States. Initially, the credit applied to 30% of the total cost – for panels, labor, accessories and equipment – although it may range from 26-30%, depending on when your solar project was undertaken. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.
To better understand exactly how much money the ITC could save you, talk to your local Munhall solar panel installation expert.
The ITC was renewed and increased in scope after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. It's also now called the Clean Energy Credit. The new Clean Energy Credit now runs until 2035. You are now eligible for a 30% credit for solar systems that began installation after January 1, 2022, and are completed by the end of 2032. The total credit will then decrease annually until it expires. Starting in 2023, it will also be easier to claim credits for energy storage systems under the new laws.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Munhall solar panel company can answer your questions and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit may apply to you.
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. Some incentives are ongoing, while others are only available for a limited time. Solar incentives might be given by the Pennsylvania government, or by your county or municipality.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Munhall
There are a number of different solar incentives: those offered by local utility companies, those given by the federal government and those given by the Pennsylvania government, to name a few. The use of solar energy has grown enormously in the last 15 years, partially due to these incentives. Contact your local solar panel installation company today to learn more and to save the most money possible on solar panels for your Munhall home.
EcoWatch's Munhall, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
If I already have solar panels, can I still claim incentives?
You should plan to talk to a representative from the company that installed your solar system – or get in touch with a local Munhall solar installer — to learn about which incentives you may qualify for. If your system was installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Solar systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
Who installs solar panel systems near me?
To discover the top solar panel installers near you, read our article on the best solar companies in Munhall.
What are some environmental benefits of installing solar panels on my house?
Solar energy is a renewable energy source — by switching where you get your energy, you can help reduce the strain on our planet's resources. Solar panels can also reduce your home's CO2 emissions by 400 pounds annually, or roughly 8,000 pounds over 20 years.
Can I apply for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order in which incentives are applied might vary depending on which incentives you are claiming but typically yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Get in touch with your solar installer or a local tax professional to ensure you are claiming all possible incentives 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.