2024 Solar Incentives Guide for West Bradford, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in West Bradford.
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 West Bradford?
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 make the switch to renewable energy. You might qualify for various types of incentives, including discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill, depending on your situation. Certain incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the state of Pennsylvania and others from the federal government. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar other performance-based incentives might 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 at the state level. You can sell the SRECs you receive to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you receive in return is generally considered part of your taxable income.
- Rebates: Rebates, or cash back after a purchase, are typically applied prior to any solar tax credits being calculated. Solar rebates may be offered by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
- Net Metering: You may be able to sign a net metering contract with your West Bradford utility company, that may apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity your solar panels generate. Your utility company will then subtract this value from your monthly utility bill.
- Tax Exemptions: These might come in the form of property tax exemptions, which would allow you to ignore the value of your solar system when calculating the taxes you pay on your house. They may also include exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much income tax you owe the federal government.
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 solar incentives are probably the first thing that you think of when you think about solar incentives. The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, is likely the most well-known federal solar incentive. The ITC provides a tax credit for a predetermined percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC applies towards 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, accessories, equipment and labor. You can claim this credit for a solar panel system installed on a primary or secondary residence that you own in the United States. The original amount you could claim was 30% of the total cost, although the amount you can claim may range between 26-30%. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
Contacting your local West Bradford solar panel installer is the best way to learn more about how the ITC could apply to your situation.
The ITC was renewed and increased in scope after 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 costs of solar system installation for projects that began after January 1, 2022, and will be finished by the end of 2032. This percentage will then begin to decrease yearly until the Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make it easier to get credit for energy storage systems.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. Your local West Bradford solar panel installer can answer any questions you have and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Tax credits, rebates and more can be claimed at multiple levels. In addition to federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones as well. Certain incentives are offered for only a limited time, while others are ongoing. Your local solar incentives could come from the Pennsylvania government, or from your specific county or municipality.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in West Bradford
Solar incentives may come from the Pennsylvania government, the federal government or your local utility company. The variety of solar incentives available has facilitated the nationwide growth of solar energy use in the last 15 years. Speaking with your local West Bradford solar panel installation expert is the right first step towards making sure you get all the incentives you qualify for when you switch to solar energy.
EcoWatch's West Bradford, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
How do I know if I qualify for certain solar incentives?
It's a smart idea to get in touch with your local West Bradford solar installer to get an understanding of which incentives your project may qualify for. Generally, solar incentives apply to new solar systems installed on property you own (in the U.S.) within a specified date range. Some incentives, like those provided at the level of the Pennsylvania government, might have other requirements.
I already have solar panels. Does my system qualify for any incentives?
An excellent idea would be to talk to a representative from the company that installed your solar system – or speak to a local West Bradford solar installer — to better understand which incentives you might qualify for. If your solar panels were 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%.
Can I claim incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order in which incentives are applied might vary depending on which incentives you receive but typically yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Talk with your solar installer or a local tax professional to ensure you are claiming all the incentives you're eligible for and applying them in the correct order.
Can I use both solar and another type of renewable energy to power my home?
You can power your home with multiple types of renewable energy, or a combination of renewable and non-renewable energy. Be sure to talk through your ideas with your local West Bradford solar installation expert. They can help you with the plan for your project and also help you understand the various incentives that you might or might not qualify for.
What if I add a solar system to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property? Will I still qualify for incentives?
While we recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what solar incentives apply to you, many will 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 specifically for commercial properties, 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.