2023 Solar Incentives Guide for West Hanover, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in West Hanover.
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 West Hanover?
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 designed to mitigate the cost of installing a solar panel system on your home. These financial incentives are intended to encourage more people to switch their home over to renewable energy. You may be eligible for various types of incentives, including cash back, discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill, depending on your situation. Some incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the Pennsylvania government and others from the federal government. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- Rebates: Solar rebates can be provided by your local utility company, or by your state or county. These rebates are essentially partial refunds that are applied after your purchase of solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Net Metering: Don't forget to talk with your West Hanover utility company about signing a net metering contract. This will allow you to get a credit towards your monthly utility bill for the value of excess energy your solar panels generate. You might receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
- Tax Credits: These credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much in taxes you owe the government.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs are credits that can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for money that is generally considered part of your taxable income. Typically, there is a small threshold of energy production to meet before your solar system is eligible for SRECs or other performance-based incentives. These kinds of incentives are generally handled by your state government.
- Tax Exemptions: These can come in the form of property tax exemptions, which can let you ignore the value added by your solar panels when paying taxes on your home. They may also include exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are probably the first thing that you think of when thinking about solar incentives. You may have heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This is a tax credit equal to a specified percentage of the money you spend on solar panels for your home.
The ITC covers solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 and allows you to deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, labor, accessories and equipment. You can receive this credit for 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 the amount you can claim may range between 26-30%. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
Your local West Hanover solar panel installation expert can give you more information about the ITC and how it might apply to your situation.
In August 2022, the ITC (now titled the Clean Energy Credit) was expanded and extended by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. For solar system installations that begin after January 1, 2022 and are completed by the end of 2032, homeowners may be eligible for a credit for 30% of the total cost. This percentage will decrease annually after 2032 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.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. Your local West Hanover solar panel installer can answer any questions you have and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also provided by state and local governments. Similar to federal incentives, these might include tax credits, rebates and more. Incentives may be offered by the state of Pennsylvania, or by your county or municipality. Certain incentives are available for only a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in West Hanover
The expanding number of available solar incentives has enormously increased the adoption of solar energy nationwide over the last 15 years. You may receive solar incentives from the Pennsylvania government, the federal government or your local utility company. Talking to your local West Hanover solar panel installer is the right first step towards getting the most money possible when you switch to solar energy.
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EcoWatch's West Hanover, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
Can I receive any incentives when I add solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property?
While we recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to fully understand what solar incentives apply to you, many incentives 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 for commercial properties specifically, depending on the details.
How much will a solar system save me annually on my electric bill in West Hanover?
After adding solar panels to your house in West Hanover, you can anticipate savings of around $739.24 per year, or around $14,045.49 over 20 years.
Who installs solar panel systems near me?
To find a top-rated solar panel installer, check out our guide to West Hanover's top solar panel companies.
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar energy?
You can decrease your carbon footprint by 250 pounds of CO2 a year when you install solar panels. This adds up to roughly 5,000 pounds in 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, meaning that switching your home over reduces the drain on our planet's resources.
Can I claim incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order in which incentives are applied could vary depending on which incentives you receive but usually yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Talk with your solar installer or a local tax professional to make sure you are claiming all the incentives you are eligible for and applying them in the correct order.
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.