2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Salisbury, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Salisbury.
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 March 14, 2023
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Salisbury?
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/
The phrase "solar incentives" refers broadly to financial incentives that are in place to encourage people to use renewable energy by making the installation and use of solar panels more affordable. These incentives might include cash back, upfront discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are handled by the federal government, some by the state of Pennsylvania and some by your specific utility company, county or municipality. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Tax Credits: Tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax you owe the federal government. Tax credits differ from tax deductions.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and other performance-based incentives might be available to you if your solar system produces over a specified (usually small) amount of electricity. This category of incentives is usually handled by the state government. You can sell any SRECs you have to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you receive in return is typically considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panels might qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions come into effect at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you exclude the value that solar panels add when you are calculating property taxes on your home.
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund credited to your account after you've paid for your solar panels. These could be offered by your local utility company, your state or your county. The cash back that you get from the rebates is normally applied before tax credits are calculated.
- Net Metering: Make sure you talk with your Salisbury utility company about signing a net metering contract. This allows you to get a credit towards your monthly utility bill 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.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the kind of incentives that you are most likely to have some knowledge of. The solar incentive that you're most familiar with is probably the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which gives you a credit on your taxes equal to a certain percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC can be applied to the total cost of solar panel installation, including the panels themselves as well as equipment, accessories and labor. You can claim this credit for panels installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence located in the United States that you own. Originally set at 30% of total costs, the credit has fluctuated over time, and you may qualify for different amounts depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
Your local Salisbury solar panel installer can give you more information about the ITC and how it applies to your situation.
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. Homeowners can now qualify for a credit equal to 30% of the total solar system installation costs for projects that began after January 1, 2022 and will be finished by the end of 2032. The percentage will then begin to decrease yearly until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. The expansion also makes credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim, beginning in 2023.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. Your local Salisbury solar panel company can answer any questions you have and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be provided by state and local governments. Like with federal incentives, these could include tax credits, rebates and more. These incentives might be offered by your county or municipality, or by the Pennsylvania government. Some incentives may be available for a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Salisbury
Solar incentives can be offered by your local utlity company, the Pennsylvania government or the federal government. The variety of available solar incentives has facilitated the nationwide growth of solar energy use in the last 15 years. It is a good idea to talk to your local Salisbury solar installation expert for more information about these incentives and to be sure that you're getting all of the money you can for your solar panels.
Best Regional Coverage
Momentum Solar
- Great warranty coverage
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- Concierge service ensures steady communication
- Slightly limited service offerings
Best Technology
Tesla Energy
- Price-match guarantee
- Sleek, efficient, and durable solar panels
- Best solar battery on the market
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Customer service varies by local dealer
EcoWatch's Salisbury, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
Can I receive any incentives when I add solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property?
While we recommend speaking with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what solar incentives apply to you, many incentives can be claimed on a second home, provided that it is in the United States and owned by you. There may be other incentives available specifically for commercial properties, depending on the specifics.
How can I find out if I qualify for specific solar incentives?
Typically, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar panel system
- installed on property that you own
- within the U.S.
- within the date range specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including those given out by the Pennsylvania government or by your county/municipality, could have additional qualifications. Speak with your local Salisbury solar installer to discover what incentives your project may qualify for.
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 help reduce the strain on our planet's resources. Solar panels can also lower the CO2 emissions from your home by 250 pounds yearly, or roughly 5,000 pounds in 20 years.
If I trade in my appliances for ones that utilize solar energy, are there any credits I can claim?
With the passage of the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are a variety of new financial incentives to encourage you to make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details about these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I use both solar and another type 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 talk through your ideas with your local Salisbury solar installer. They can help you with the plan for your project and also help you understand the various incentives that you might or might 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.