2023 Solar Incentives Guide for New Castle, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in New Castle.
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 New Castle?
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" refers broadly to financial incentives that are in place to encourage the use of renewable energy by making the installation and use of solar panels more affordable. Different types of incentives, such as cash back, discounts or monthly utility bill credits, may be available to you. Some incentives may be provided via the Pennsylvania government, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while other incentives are federal. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Rebates: Your solar installer might help you claim a rebate, or partial refund of your purchase, for your solar system. Counties or states will also offer limited-time rebates at various times. If you receive a rebate, that amount will usually be deducted from your total price before tax credits are calculated.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar other performance-based incentives might be available to you if the solar system on your home produces more than a specified (generally small) amount of electricity. This category of incentives is usually handled at the state level. You can sell your SRECs to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you receive in return is generally considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions that lower the amount of income tax you owe the government. (A tax credit is different from a tax deduction.)
- Net Metering: Net metering factors in once your solar system is up and running. If you have a net metering agreement with your New Castle utility company, the company will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your monthly utility bill. In some places, this credit is dollar-for-dollar, while in other places you might receive a refund equivalent to a percentage of the value.
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions can come in one of two forms. First, there is sales tax exemption, which is applied when you purchase solar panels. The second is property tax exemption, which allows you to ignore the value added by your solar system when calculating property tax for your house.
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Federal Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are likely the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about solar incentives. A federal incentive that most people are likely to be familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This is a tax credit for a certain percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC applies to the value of a solar system installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar system must have been installed on a property you own after January 1, 2006 for you to claim the credit. Initially, the ITC applied to 30% of all system installation costs (panels, accessories, labor and equipment), although the covered amount has fluctuated slightly over the years 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.
Have questions about how the ITC applies to your specific situation? Reach out to your local New Castle solar panel installation expert to get more information.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, expanded and extended the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). The Clean Energy Credit is valid until 2035. Solar installation projects started after January 1, 2022 and completed by the end of 2032 may qualify for a 30% tax credit; this amount will be decreased slightly on a yearly basis until the current program ends. Starting in 2023, the expansion to the program 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 get in touch with your local New Castle solar panel company.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be provided by state and local governments. Like with federal incentives, these can include tax credits, rebates and more. These incentives — which may be provided by your county or municipality, or by the state of Pennsylvania — may be offered on an ongoing basis, or for only a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in New Castle
The expanding number of available solar incentives has helped tremendously increase the use of solar power nationwide over the last 15 years. You can get solar incentives from your local utility company, the federal government or the Pennsylvania government. Speak with your local solar panel installation company today to learn more and to save as much money as possible on a solar system for your New Castle home.
EcoWatch's New Castle, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
Can I claim incentives for adding 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 incentives can be claimed on a second home, so long as that home 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 learn if I qualify for different solar incentives?
Broadly, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar system
- installed on a property that you own
- within the U.S.
- within the date range specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including those run by the Pennsylvania government or by your county/municipality, might have additional qualifications. Talk to your local New Castle solar installer to learn more about what incentives your project may qualify for.
My home already has solar panels. Are there any incentives that I qualify for?
You should plan to talk to a representative from the company that installed your solar panels — or call a local New Castle solar installer — to clarify which incentives you may qualify for. If your system was installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
What are the environmental benefits of switching to solar energy?
You can lower your carbon footprint by 250 pounds of CO2 annually by switching to solar panels. This adds up to roughly 5,000 pounds in 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, which means that switching your home over lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
Can I use both solar and another type 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 go over your plan with your local New Castle solar installer. They can help you as you plan for your project and give you an understanding of various incentives that 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.