2024 Solar Incentives Guide for State College, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in State College.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2024 and beyond)
- Ways to optimize your solar investment
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in State College?
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 term "solar incentives" covers a wide range of financial incentives put in place to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. Different kinds of incentives, like discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill, may be available to you. Certain incentives may be handled by the Pennsylvania government, 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 Credits: Unlike tax deductions, tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government.
- Rebates: Solar rebates might be offered by your local utility company, or by your county or state. These rebates work as partial refunds that are applied after your purchase of a solar system and before tax credits are calculated.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar performance-based incentives are generally handled at the state level. Once your solar system meets a predetermined threshold (typically a small amount of energy production), you are eligible to receive SRECs that can be sold to your utility company or other buyers. The money you make from the sale is generally considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panels might qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions are effective at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you ignore the added value of the solar panels when calculating property taxes on your house.
- Net Metering: Net metering is an incentive you can get once your solar panels are up and running. If you have in place a net metering agreement with your State College utility company, it will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your monthly utility bill. In some areas, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in other areas you may receive a refund equivalent to a percentage of the value.
Best National Provider
SunPower
- Most efficient panels on the market
- National coverage
- Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
- Great warranty coverage
- Expensive
- Customer service varies by local dealer
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
Federal incentives are the kind of incentives that you are most likely to have some familiarity with. The solar incentive that you may be most familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which provides a credit on your taxes equal to a certain percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC applies to the value of solar panels installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar panels must 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 costs (panels, equipment, labor and accessories), 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 claim amount.
Talking to your local State College solar panel installer is the best way to understand how the ITC may apply to your situation.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act laid out new provisions for the ITC, now dubbed the Clean Energy Credit. The Clean Energy Credit re-raises the credit up to 30% for solar installations undertaken between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2032. At this point, the percentage will be reduced slightly each year until the program expires in 2035. Beginning in 2023, it will also be easier to claim credits for energy storage systems under the new laws.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. The best way to learn more about how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you is to get in touch with your local State College solar panel company.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Not all solar incentives are federal; tax credits, rebates and more might also be offered at the local or state level. These solar incentives — which may be handled by the state of Pennsylvania, or by your county or municipality — may be offered on an ongoing basis, or for only a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in State College
Solar incentives might come from your local utility company, the federal government or the Pennsylvania government. The growing number of solar incentives available has helped nationwide use of solar energy increase greatly in the last 15 years. When you're ready to switch over to solar energy, getting in touch with your local State College solar panel installation expert is an excellent place to start.
EcoWatch's State College, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
What are the environmental benefits of switching to solar energy?
Solar energy is renewable — by changing where you get your energy, you help lessen the strain on our planet's resources. A solar system can also reduce your home's CO2 emissions by 250 pounds a year, or around 5,000 pounds over 20 years.
Can I qualify 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 receiving, they may apply in a different order. Be sure to talk to your solar installer or a local tax professional to verify that you are claiming incentives correctly and getting the most money possible.
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 talk through your plan with your local State College solar installation expert. They can help you plan your project and also help you understand the various incentives that you might or might not qualify for.
What if I want to add solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property? Can 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 can be claimed on a second home, as long as it is in the United States and owned by you. There may be additional incentives available for commercial properties specifically, 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.