2024 Solar Incentives Guide for North Versailles, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in North Versailles.
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 North Versailles?
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 intended to make renewable energy usage more affordable via financial incentives to help people install solar panels on their homes. Incentives can include things like discounts, cash back or credit on your utility bill each month. Some incentives are provided by the federal government, while others are offered by the state of Pennsylvania or by your specific utility company, county or municipality. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions can come in two forms. The first is sales tax exemption, which is applied at the time you purchase your 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.
- Tax Credits: Unlike tax deductions, tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government.
- Rebates: Some solar companies will help you claim a rebate, or partial refund after purchase, for your solar panels. Counties or states will also offer limited-time rebates at various times. Any rebates you receive will usually be deducted from your total price before tax credits are calculated.
- Net Metering: Don't forget to speak with your North Versailles 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.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for cash that is generally considered part of your taxable income. Generally, a certain (small) threshold of energy production must be met before your solar system can earn SRECs or similar performance-based incentives. Incentives like these are normally handled at the state level.
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
When people think of solar incentives, federal incentives might be the first thing that comes to mind. The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, is the most commonly known federal solar incentive. The ITC provides a tax credit for a predetermined percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC can be applied to solar panels installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar system has to have been installed after January 1, 2006, on a property owned by you for you to claim the credit. The ITC initially covered 30% of all installation costs (panels, labor, equipment and accessories), although the amount has fluctuated over time between 26-30%. The installation date of your solar system will determine what percentage you are eligible for. There is no cap on the claim amount.
Speaking with your local North Versailles solar panel installer is the best way to understand how the ITC may apply to your situation.
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 new Clean Energy Credit extends until 2035. Homeowners can now receive a 30% credit for solar systems that began installation after January 1, 2022, and are completed by the end of 2032. The credit will then be decreased by a few percentage points every year until its expiration. Starting in 2023, it will also be easier to obtain credits for energy storage systems with the new act.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. Your local North Versailles 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 may be provided by state and local governments. As with federal incentives, these could include tax credits, rebates and more. These incentives might be given out by your county or municipality, or by the Pennsylvania government. Some incentives may be ongoing, while others are available for a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in North Versailles
The variety of solar incentives available has helped tremendously increase the nationwide adoption of solar energy over the last 15 years. You might qualify for solar incentives from your local utility company, the federal government or the Pennsylvania government. It is a good idea to talk to your local North Versailles solar installation expert for more information about these incentives and to ensure that you're getting the largest number possible for your solar panels.
EcoWatch's North Versailles, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
What are some environmental benefits of installing solar panels on my house?
You can decrease your carbon footprint by 400 pounds of CO2 annually when you switch to solar panels. This adds up to around 8,000 pounds in 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, meaning that making the switch reduces the drain on our planet's resources.
How long until the federal solar tax credit ends?
The federal solar tax credit, formerly called the ITC and now titled the Clean Energy Credit, is slated to end January 1, 2035. The current 30% credit will end in 2032, replaced by a 26% credit in 2033 and a 22% credit in 2034.
If I change out my appliances for ones that can utilize solar energy, are there incentives I can claim?
Under the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are several new financial incentives for making eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details on these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
What if I want to add solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property? Can 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 will fall under this distinction. There may be other solar incentives available for commercial properties, depending on the details. We recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to fully 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.