2024 Solar Incentives Guide for New Hanover, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in New Hanover.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2024 and beyond)
- Ways to optimize your solar investment
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in New Hanover?
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" covers 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. Various kinds of incentives, such as discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits, might be available to you. Some incentives may be handled by the state of Pennsylvania, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while other incentives are federal. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Rebates: Rebates, or cash back after a purchase, are usually given before any solar tax credits are calculated. These rebates may be provided by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
- Net Metering: Don't forget to talk to your New Hanover utility company about signing a net metering agreement. This allows you to receive credit towards your utility bill every month for the value of excess energy your solar panels generate. You might receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
- Tax Exemptions: These could come in the form of property tax exemptions, which allow you to ignore the value added by your solar panels when paying taxes on your house. You could also look for exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
- Tax Credits: These credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much income tax you owe the federal government.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): Generally, solar systems that produce over a threshold (generally small) amount of electricity can qualify for SRECs or other similar performance-based incentives. SRECs and the like are typically offered 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.
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 kind of incentives that you are most likely to have heard of. The solar incentive that you're most familiar with is probably the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which provides a credit on your taxes equal to a specified percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC covers solar systems installed after January 1, 2006, and lets you deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, accessories, labor and equipment. You can receive this credit for solar panels installed on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. The original amount you could claim 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 claim amount.
To understand exactly how much money the ITC could save you, contact your local New Hanover solar panel installation expert.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, added more provisions to the ITC (as well as retitling it the Clean Energy Credit). For solar systems installed between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2032, homeowners can apply for a credit equal to 30% of the total cost. After 2033, the percentage will decrease annually until the Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, it will also be easier to obtain credits for energy storage systems under this new program.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local New Hanover solar panel installer can answer any questions you have and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also provided at the state and local level. Similar to federal incentives, these can include tax credits, rebates and more. Incentives might be handled by the state of Pennsylvania, or by your county or municipality. Some incentives might only be available for a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in New Hanover
You can 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 increase solar adoption nationwide. Your local New Hanover solar panel installation expert can give you more information about which incentives you should apply for, and get you on track to switch to renewable energy today.
EcoWatch's New Hanover, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
How much will a solar system save me on my electric bill in New Hanover annually?
On average, New Hanover homeowners who install solar panels save about $780.02 per year, or around $14,820.36 over 20 years after they make the switch.
When does the federal solar tax credit end?
The Clean Energy Credit (formerly named the federal solar tax credit, or ITC), is scheduled to end on January 1, 2035. Currently set at 30%, the credit will drop to 26% in 2033 and to 22% in 2034.
If I trade in my appliances for ones that can utilize solar energy, are there any benefits I can claim?
The new Inflation Reduction Act provides multiple incentives designed to reward homeowners for making eco-friendly upgrades. Some incentives include rebates and tax credits for installing new electric appliances. You can find more details about these incentives here.
What if I add a solar system to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property? Do I still qualify for incentives?
Many solar incentives are intended to apply to a property you own that is located within the United States; most secondary residences fall under this distinction. Other solar incentives may be available for commercial properties, depending on the details. We recommend getting in touch with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what incentives will apply to your specific situation.
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.