2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Waynesburg, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Waynesburg.
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 Waynesburg?
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/
Solar incentives are intended to make renewable energy usage more affordable through financial incentives for individuals who install solar panels on their homes. Solar incentives may include cash back, upfront discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are given by the federal government, some by the Pennsylvania government and some by your utility company, county or municipality. Categories of solar incentives include:
- Rebates: Solar rebates may be offered by your local utility company, or by your state or county. These rebates work as partial refunds that are applied after your purchase of a solar system and before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Exemptions: These may come in the form of property tax exemptions, which allow you to ignore the value of your solar system when calculating the taxes you pay on your house. You could also look for exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
- Net Metering: Be sure to speak with your Waynesburg 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 could receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
- Tax Credits: Unlike tax deductions, tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the government.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and other performance-based incentives may be available to you if your solar system produces over a specified (generally small) amount of electricity. This category of incentives is generally handled at the state level. You can sell any SRECs you have to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you receive in return is usually considered part of your taxable income.
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Federal Solar Incentives
When someone says "solar incentives," you likely think of federal incentives first. The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, is the best-known federal solar incentive. The ITC offers a tax credit for a predetermined percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC can be applied to the total cost of installing a solar system, including the panels themselves as well as equipment, labor and accessories. 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. The tax credit ranges from 26-30% of total costs depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum claim amount.
To better understand how the ITC may apply to your situation, call your local Waynesburg solar panel installation expert and request more information.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, added more provisions to the ITC (as well as retitling it the Clean Energy Credit). The Clean Energy Credit lasts until 2035. Your solar installation project undertaken between 2022 and 2032 may qualify for a 30% tax credit. The amount will decrease slightly each year until the current program ends. The expansion also makes it easier to get credit for energy storage systems, starting in 2023.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Waynesburg solar panel installation experts can answer your questions and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Rebates, tax credits and more might be claimed at multiple levels. On top of federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones, too. These incentives might be provided by your county or municipality, or by the Pennsylvania government. Certain incentives are available for a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Waynesburg
Nationwide solar energy use has increased enormously in the past 15 years, in part thanks to the increase in availability of solar incentives. You may get these incentives from the federal government, the Pennsylvania government or your local utility company. Speak with your local solar panel installer today to learn more and to save as much money as possible on solar panels for your Waynesburg home.
EcoWatch's Waynesburg, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
What are the top solar panel installation companies near me?
To learn about the top solar panel installation companies near you, take a look at our article on the best solar companies in Waynesburg.
When does the federal solar tax credit end?
The federal solar tax credit, previously called the ITC and now titled the Clean Energy Credit, is scheduled to end 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 switch my appliances out for ones that can utilize solar energy, are there credits I can claim?
With the passage of the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are a variety of new financial incentives that are available when you make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details on these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I apply for incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order your incentives will be applied in might vary depending on which incentives you receive but generally yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Check with your solar installer or a local tax professional to make sure you are claiming all possible incentives and applying them in the correct order.
Can I use solar and another type of renewable energy in combination to power my home?
You can power your home with multiple types of renewable energy, or a combination of renewable and non-renewable energy. Make sure you talk through your plan with your local Waynesburg solar installer. They can help you with the plan for your project and also help you understand the various incentives that you may or may 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.