2023 Solar Incentives Guide for North Sewickley, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in North Sewickley.
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 North Sewickley?
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/
The term "solar incentives" broadly refers to financial incentives designed to encourage people to use renewable energy by making installing and using solar panels more affordable. Various types of incentives, like 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. Categories of solar incentives include:
- Net Metering: You may be able to sign a net metering contract with your North Sewickley 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 deduct this value from your monthly utility bill.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): Typically, solar systems that produce more than a predetermined (normally small) amount of electricity will qualify for SRECs or other performance-based incentives. SRECs and the like are typically offered by your state government. SRECs can be sold to your utility company or another buyer, and the money you receive is normally considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits lower, dollar-for-dollar, the total amount of tax you owe the government. Tax credits are different from tax deductions.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panel system might qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions are applied at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you ignore the value added by your solar panels when you are calculating property taxes on your home.
- Rebates: Rebates, or partial refunds after a purchase, are typically given before any solar tax credits are calculated. These rebates may be offered by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
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Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the type of incentives that you are most likely to have some familiarity with. 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 predetermined percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC can be applied to solar panels installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. Originally, the tax credit was for 30% of the total cost — for panels, equipment, accessories and labor — although that amount may range from 26-30%, depending on the installation date of your solar system. There is no cap on the claim amount.
To find out exactly how much the ITC could save you, talk to your local North Sewickley solar panel installation expert.
The ITC was both renewed and expanded by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. It's also now called the Clean Energy Credit. The Clean Energy Credit is valid until 2035. Your solar installation project undertaken between 2022 and 2032 may qualify for a 30% tax credit. The amount will decrease slightly on a yearly basis until the end of the current program. Beginning in 2023, it will also be easier to obtain credits for energy storage systems under this new program.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. The best way to understand how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you is to talk with your local North Sewickley solar panel installation expert.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be offered at the local or state level. Like with federal incentives, these could include tax credits, rebates and more. Certain incentives are offered for only a limited time, while others are ongoing. Local solar incentives could come from the Pennsylvania government, or from your specific county or municipality.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in North Sewickley
There are a number of different solar incentives: those offered by local utility companies, those offered by the federal government and those offered by the Pennsylvania government, to name a few. Solar energy use has increased enormously in the last 15 years, partially thanks to these incentives. Contact your local solar panel installation company today to learn more and to save as much money as possible on solar panels for your North Sewickley home.
EcoWatch's North Sewickley, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
Can I claim incentives for adding solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property?
Many solar incentives apply to a property located within the United States that you own; most secondary residences will fall under this distinction. There may be other solar incentives available for commercial properties, depending on the specifics. We recommend getting in touch with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to fully understand what incentives will apply to your specific situation.
If I installed solar panels on my house a few years ago, can I still claim incentives?
An excellent idea would be to talk to a representative from the company that installed your solar panels — or call a local North Sewickley 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 recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Solar panels installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
How much will solar panels save me on my electric bill in North Sewickley annually?
Once you add solar panels to your house in North Sewickley, you can anticipate savings of approximately $756.84 per year, or approximately $14,379.87 over the next 20 years.
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. A solar system can also lower the CO2 emissions from your home by 400 pounds a year, or roughly 8,000 pounds over 20 years.
How long until the federal solar tax credit ends?
The Clean Energy Credit (formerly called the federal solar tax credit, or the ITC), is slated to end on January 1, 2035. Currently set at 30%, the credit will drop to 26% in 2033 and to 22% in 2034.
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.