2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Telford, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Telford.
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 May 04, 2023
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Telford?
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 mitigate the cost of installing a solar panel system on your home. Financial incentives like these are designed to encourage more homeowners to convert their home partially or fully to renewable energy. The incentives can include cash back, upfront discounts or monthly credits towards your utility bill. Some incentives are offered by the federal government, some by the state of Pennsylvania and some by your utility company, county or municipality. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions may come in two forms. First, there is sales tax exemption, applied at the time you purchase your solar panels. The second is property tax exemption. This allows you to exclude the added value of your solar system when calculating property tax for your home.
- Net Metering: Net metering factors in once your solar system is up and running. If you have a net metering agreement with your Telford 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 others you may receive a refund equivalent to a percentage of the value.
- Tax Credits: These credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much income tax you owe the government.
- Rebates: A solar rebate is a partial refund after the purchase of your solar system. Rebates might be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The cash back that you get from the rebates is normally applied before calculating tax credits.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar other performance-based incentives may be available to you if the solar system on your home produces more than a specified (generally small) amount of electricity. This category of incentives is typically handled by the state government. You can sell the SRECs you receive to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you make is generally considered part of your taxable income.
Federal Solar Incentives
When you think about solar incentives, you likely think of federal incentives first. You may have heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This incentive is a tax credit equal to a specified percentage of the money you spend installing solar panels.
The ITC can be applied 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, equipment and labor — although the percentage may range from 26-30%, depending on the installation date of your solar system. There is no cap on the claim amount.
Have questions about how the ITC applies to your specific situation? Get in touch with your local Telford solar panel installer to get more information.
The ITC has been renewed and expanded following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. It's also now called the Clean Energy Credit. Homeowners can now receive a credit of 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 credit percentage will then decrease on a yearly basis until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. Starting in 2023, the expansion will also make claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. Your local Telford solar panel installation experts can answer any questions you have and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Not all solar incentives are federal; rebates, tax credits and more may be offered at the state and local level. These incentives might be provided by the Pennsylvania government, or by your county or municipality. Some incentives may be available for a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Telford
The variety of solar incentives available has helped tremendously increase the use of solar power nationwide over the past 15 years. You may receive solar incentives from the Pennsylvania government, the federal government or your local utility company. It is a good idea to talk to your local Telford solar installation expert to learn more about these incentives and to make sure that you're getting all of the money you can for your solar system.
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EcoWatch's Telford, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
What if I want to add a solar system to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property? Do I still qualify for incentives?
Many solar incentives apply to a property located within the United States that you own; most secondary residences fall into this category. Other solar incentives may be available for commercial properties, depending on the details. We recommend speaking with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what incentives apply to your specific situation.
How do I learn if I qualify for certain solar incentives?
Broadly, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar panel system
- installed on property you own
- within the U.S.
- between the dates specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including those given out by the Pennsylvania government or by your county/municipality, may have additional qualifications. Speak with your local Telford solar installer to find out what incentives your project will qualify for.
How much can I save annually on my electric bill if I add solar panels to my house in Telford?
Generally, homeowners in Telford who install solar panels save around $773.89 per year, or around $14,703.93 over 20 years after making the switch.
Who installs solar panel systems near me?
To find the best solar panel installer in your area, check out our guide to the top solar companies in Telford.
If I trade in my appliances for ones that can use solar energy, are there any benefits that I can claim?
The new Inflation Reduction Act introduces several incentives that reward homeowners for making eco-friendly upgrades. Some of these incentives include rebates and tax credits for installing new electric appliances. You can find more details about these incentives here.
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.