2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Sharon, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Sharon.
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 Sharon?
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
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 phrase "solar incentives" covers a wide range of financial incentives implemented to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. Various types of incentives, such as cash back, discounts or monthly utility bill credits, may be available to you. Some incentives may be offered by the state of Pennsylvania, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while others are federal. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions can come in two forms. First, there is sales tax exemption, applied when you purchase solar panels. The second is property tax exemption. This allows you to ignore the value added by your solar system when calculating property tax for your home.
- Net Metering: Net metering factors in once your solar panels are up and running. If you've signed a net metering agreement with your Sharon utility company, the company will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your monthly utility bill. In some locations, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in other areas you may be refunded a percentage of the value.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar performance-based incentives might be available to you if the solar system on your home produces over a specified (generally small) amount of electricity. These types of incentives are normally handled by the state government. You can sell any SRECs you have to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you make is generally considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions that lower the amount of income tax you owe the government. (A tax credit is different from a tax deduction.)
- Rebates: Solar rebates may be offered 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.
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Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the kind of incentives that you are most likely to have some knowledge of. It's likely that you've heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This incentive is a tax credit equal to a predetermined percentage of the money you spend on solar panels for your home.
The ITC can be credited towards the value of a solar system installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar system has to have been installed on a property you own after January 1, 2006 for you to be eligible for the credit. The ITC originally paid out 30% of all installation costs (panels, equipment, accessories and labor), although the covered amount has fluctuated slightly over the last few years between 26-30%. The installation date of your solar system will determine what percentage you are eligible for. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.
Your local Sharon solar panel installation expert can offer more information about the ITC and how it may apply to your situation.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, added more provisions to the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). The Clean Energy Credit bolsters the current credit, increasing it up to 30% for solar systems installed between 2022 and 2032. After 2032, the percentage will see a slight decrease annually until the program expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make it easier to get credit for energy storage systems.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. To understand how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you, reach out to your local Sharon solar installers.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also provided at the state and local level. Like with federal incentives, these may include tax credits, rebates and more. These incentives — which might be provided by the state of Pennsylvania, or by your county or municipality — could be offered for only a limited time, or on an ongoing basis.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Sharon
The nationwide use of solar energy has gone up tremendously in the past 15 years, in part thanks to the proliferation of solar incentives. You can obtain these incentives from the federal government, the Pennsylvania government or your local utility company. We suggest talking to your local Sharon 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 system.
EcoWatch's Sharon, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
What if I add solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property? Will 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. Other solar incentives may be available for commercial properties, depending on the specifics. We recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what incentives will apply to your specific situation.
If I already have a solar system installed on my house, can I still claim incentives?
Your best bet is to talk to the company that installed your solar system — or call a local Sharon solar installer — to clarify which incentives you might 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. Solar systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
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 on 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 utilize solar energy, are there incentives I can claim?
The new Inflation Reduction Act creates a number 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 a combination of 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 go over your plan with your local Sharon solar installer. They can help you as you plan for your project and give you an understanding of 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.