2025 Solar Incentives Guide for Ridley, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Ridley.
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 Ridley?
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 intended to make renewable energy usage more affordable via financial incentives for individuals who install solar panels on their homes. Various kinds of incentives, such as discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits, may be available to you. Certain incentives may be offered by the Pennsylvania government, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while other incentives are federal. Categories of solar incentives include:
- Net Metering: Net metering factors in after your solar system is up and running. If you've signed a net metering agreement with your Ridley 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 is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in others you might be refunded a percentage of the value.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs are credits that can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for money that normally counts as part of your taxable income. Typically, a certain (small) threshold of energy production must be met before your solar system qualifies for SRECs or similar performance-based incentives. These kinds of incentives are normally handled by your state government.
- Tax Credits: Different from tax deductions, tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government.
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions may 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 added value of your solar system when calculating property tax for your house.
- Rebates: Your solar installer might help you claim a rebate, or partial refund after purchase, for your solar panels. States or counties will also sometimes offer limited-time rebates. Any rebates you receive will usually come off the total price before any tax credits are calculated.
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 you hear the term "solar incentives," federal incentives may be the first thing that comes to mind. You may have heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. The ITC is a tax credit equal to a certain percentage of the money you spend installing solar panels.
The ITC applies to solar panels installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. The credit initially covered 30% of the total cost – for panels, accessories, labor and equipment – although that amount may range from 26-30%, depending on when your solar system was installed. There is no cap on the claim amount.
To better understand exactly how much the ITC could save you, contact your local Ridley solar panel installer.
In August 2022, the ITC (now titled the Clean Energy Credit) was expanded and extended by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. Now, solar installation projects that are completed between 2022 and 2032, might qualify for a 30% tax credit. This percentage will then see a slight annual decrease until the end of the current Clean Energy Credit in 2035. 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. Your local Ridley solar panel installation expert is the best person to answer your questions regarding the new Clean Energy Credit and how it may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Tax credits, rebates and more can be provided at multiple levels. On top of federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones as well. These incentives may be provided by the Pennsylvania government, or by your county or municipality. Certain incentives are available for a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Ridley
Solar energy use nationwide has gone up significantly in the past 15 years, in part due to the proliferation of solar incentives. You might receive these incentives from your local utility company, the federal government or the Pennsylvania government. We recommend talking to your local Ridley 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 Ridley, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
If my house already has solar panels, can I still claim incentives?
An excellent idea would be to talk to someone from the company that installed your solar panels – or reach out to a local Ridley solar installer — to clarify which incentives you may qualify for. If your system was installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the newly 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 best solar panel installation companies near me?
To learn about the top solar panel installers near you, read our article on the best solar companies in Ridley.
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar energy?
Solar energy is a renewable energy source — by changing where you get your energy, you can help reduce the strain on our planet's resources. You can also reduce your home's CO2 emissions by 300 pounds annually, or around 5,000 pounds in 20 years.
Can I apply for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
Yes, you can claim both rebates and tax credits towards the cost of your solar panels. Depending on which incentives you are claiming, they may apply in a different order. Be sure to speak with your solar installer or a local tax professional to ensure that you are claiming incentives correctly and getting the most money possible.
What if I am planning to add a solar system to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property? Will I still qualify for incentives?
While we recommend getting in touch with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to better understand what solar incentives apply to you, many will apply to a second home, so long as that home is in the United States and owned by you. There may be other incentives available specifically for commercial properties, depending on the details.
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.