2025 Solar Incentives Guide for South Park, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in South Park.
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.
Get a free quote from one of our trusted South Park solar installers to see how much you can save.
Please enter a valid 5-digit zip code!
Why you can trust EcoWatch
What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in South Park?
High Performance Buildings Incentive Program
Commercial loans/loan guarantees: $2 million
Grants: Lesser of 10% of project costs or $500,000
Solar Alternative Energy Credits
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
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
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
First Energy (MetEdison, Penelec, Penn Power, West Penn Power) - Residential Solar Water Heating Program
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives mitigate the cost of installing solar panels on your home. Financial incentives like these are intended to encourage more Americans to switch to renewable energy. The incentives could include upfront discounts, cash back or monthly credits towards your utility bill. Some incentives are provided by the federal government, some by the state of Pennsylvania and some by your specific utility company, county or municipality. Categories of solar incentives include:
- Net Metering: You may be able to sign a net metering contract with your South Park utility company that will apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity that is generated by your solar panels. Your utility company will then deduct this value from your utility bill each month.
- Rebates: A solar rebate is a partial refund given after you've purchased your solar system. Rebates may 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.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions that lower the amount of income tax you owe the government. (This is different from a tax deduction.)
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar system might qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions are applied at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you exclude the added value of the solar panels when you are calculating property taxes on your house.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): Generally, solar systems that produce more than a predetermined (generally small) amount of electricity can qualify for SRECs or other performance-based incentives. SRECs and performance-based incentives in general are typically offered 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.
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 provides a credit on your taxes equal to a predetermined percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC can be applied to 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, accessories and labor. This credit can apply towards a solar panel system installed on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. The original amount you could claim 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 amount you can claim.
Speaking with your local South Park solar panel installation expert is the best way to learn more about how the ITC may apply to your situation.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, added more provisions to the ITC (as well as retitling it the Clean Energy Credit). For solar systems installed between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2032, homeowners can apply for a credit for 30% of the total cost. The percentage will then decrease annually until the Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. The program expansion also makes claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before, starting in 2023.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local South Park solar panel installation expert is the best person to answer your questions about the new Clean Energy Credit and how it will apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Tax credits, rebates and more might be claimed at multiple levels. Along with federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones, too. These incentives — which might be handled by the state of Pennsylvania, or by your county or municipality — may be offered for only a limited time, or on an ongoing basis.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in South Park
Solar incentives may be offered by your local utility company, the federal government or the Pennsylvania government. The large number of available incentives has contributed to a large increase in solar energy use in the last 15 years. Contact your local solar panel installation company today to learn more and to save as much money as possible on a solar system for your South Park home.
EcoWatch's South Park, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
What are some environmental benefits of adding solar panels to my house?
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. A solar system can also reduce your home's CO2 emissions by 400 pounds a year, or around 8,000 pounds in 20 years.
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 set 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.
I want to trade in my old appliances for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any credits I can claim?
The new Inflation Reduction Act provides a number of incentives designed to reward homeowners for making eco-friendly upgrades. Some incentives include tax credits and rebates for installing new electric appliances. You can find more details about these incentives here.
What if I am planning to add a solar system to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property? Do I still qualify for incentives?
While we recommend speaking with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what solar incentives apply to you, many incentives apply to a second home, so long as that home is in the United States and owned by you. There may be additional incentives available for commercial properties specifically, depending on the specifics.
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.