2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Prospect Park, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Prospect Park.
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 Prospect Park?
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
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are designed to make renewable energy usage more affordable through financial incentives for those who install solar panels on their homes. Solar incentives may include cash back, upfront discounts or monthly credits towards your utility bill. Some incentives are given by the federal government, some by the Pennsylvania government and some by your specific utility company, county or municipality. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- Net Metering: Net metering factors in after your solar system is up and running. If you have a net metering agreement with your Prospect Park utility company, the company will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your utility bill each month. 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.
- Rebates: Solar rebates may be provided by your county or state, or by your local utility company. These rebates are essentially partial refunds that are applied after you pay for a solar system and before tax credits are calculated.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): In general, solar systems that produce more than a specified (usually small) amount of electricity can qualify for SRECs or other performance-based incentives. SRECs and similar incentives are typically provided by your state government. SRECs can be sold to your utility company or another buyer, and generally the money you make is normally considered part of your taxable income.
- 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. This allows you to ignore the added value of your solar system when paying property tax on your home.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the total amount of tax you owe the federal government. Tax credits differ from tax deductions.
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Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the type of incentives that you are most likely to have heard of. It's likely that you've heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This is a tax credit that reduces your taxes by a certain percentage of the money you spend on solar panels for your home.
The ITC applies towards solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 and under this program you can deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, equipment, labor and accessories. You can claim this credit for solar panels installed on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. The original claim amount 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.
Speaking with your local Prospect Park solar panel installer is the best way to understand how the ITC may apply to you.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act expanded and extended the ITC, now called the Clean Energy Credit. For solar system installations that begin after January 1, 2022 and are completed by the end of 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, the program expansion will also make it easier to get credit for energy storage systems.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. The best way to understand how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you is to get in touch with your local Prospect Park solar panel installation expert.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be offered at the local or state level. As with federal incentives, these might include tax credits, rebates and more. The incentives — which may be provided by your county or municipality, or by the state of Pennsylvania — could be offered on an ongoing basis, or for only a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Prospect Park
You can apply for solar incentives from the federal government and the Pennsylvania government, as well as from your local utility company. The growing availability of solar initiatives over the last 15 years has helped greatly increase nationwide adoption of solar energy. Your local Prospect Park solar panel installation company 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 Prospect Park, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
Can I claim incentives for adding solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property?
Many solar incentives apply to a property located within the United States that you own, and most secondary residences fall under this distinction. Other solar incentives may be available for commercial properties, depending on the details. We recommend speaking with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to fully understand what incentives will apply to your specific situation.
How much will a solar system save me on my electric bill in Prospect Park annually?
After adding solar panels to your home in Prospect Park, you can anticipate savings of around $818.43 per year, or around $15,550.26 over 20 years.
What are some environmental benefits of adding solar panels to my home?
You can decrease your carbon footprint by 300 pounds of CO2 annually when you switch to solar panels. This adds up to approximately 5,000 pounds over 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, which means that making the switch lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
I want to change out my appliances for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any benefits I can apply for?
The new Inflation Reduction Act creates several new financial incentives that are available when you make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details on these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I use multiple types of renewable energy to power my home?
You can use multiple types of renewable energy, or a combination of renewable and non-renewable energy, to power your home. Make sure you discuss your plan with your local Prospect Park solar installation expert. They can help you plan your project and also help you understand the 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.