2023 Solar Incentives Guide for West Manheim, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in West Manheim.
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.
Get a free quote from one of our trusted West Manheim solar installers to see how much you can save.
Please enter a valid 5-digit zip code!
Updated May 04, 2023
Why you can trust EcoWatch
What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in West Manheim?
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
Adams Electric Cooperative - Energy Efficiency Loan Program
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
The term "solar incentives" covers a wide range of financial incentives implemented to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. Solar incentives can include cash back, upfront discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are handled by the federal government, some by the Pennsylvania government and some by your specific utility company, county or municipality. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions are effective at the time of purchase for your solar system. Property tax exemptions let you exclude the value added by your solar system when you're calculating the amount of property tax you need to pay on your home.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs are credits that can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for money that normally counts as part of your taxable income. In most cases, a certain (small) threshold of energy production must be met before your solar system can earn SRECs or similar performance-based incentives. Incentives like these are typically handled at the state level.
- Net Metering: Don't forget to talk to your West Manheim utility company about signing a net metering contract. This will allow you to get a credit towards your utility bill every month 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.
- Rebates: Some solar companies will help you claim a rebate, or partial refund of your purchase, for your solar panels. States or counties will also sometimes offer limited-time rebates. The value of a rebate will usually come off the total price before any tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits decrease, dollar-for-dollar, how much income tax you owe the government. Tax credits are different from tax deductions.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the kind of incentives that you are most likely to have some knowledge of. You've likely heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This is a tax credit that reduces your taxes by a certain percentage of the money you spend on your solar system.
The ITC can be credited towards the value of solar panels installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar system has to have been installed after January 1, 2006 on a property owned by you for you to be eligible for the credit. Originally, the ITC covered 30% of all system installation costs (panels, equipment, accessories and labor), although the total amount has fluctuated over time 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.
To better understand exactly how much the ITC could save you, talk to your local West Manheim solar panel installation expert.
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 runs until 2035. Solar installation projects started after January 1, 2022 and completed by the end of 2032 may qualify for a 30% tax credit. The amount will decrease slightly each year until the current program ends. The program expansion also makes claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before, starting in 2023.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local West Manheim solar panel installers are the best people to answer your questions about the new Clean Energy Credit and how it applies to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also provided at the state and local level. Similar to federal incentives, these can include tax credits, rebates and more. Incentives might be given by your county or municipality, or by the state of Pennsylvania. Some incentives are available for only a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in West Manheim
You can qualify for solar incentives from the Pennsylvania government and the federal government, as well as from your local utility company. Growing availability of solar initiatives over the last 15 years has helped greatly increase nationwide adoption of solar energy. We suggest talking to your local West Manheim solar installation expert for more information about these incentives and to make sure that you're getting all of the money you can for your solar system.
Best Regional Coverage
Momentum Solar
- Great warranty coverage
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- Concierge service ensures steady communication
- Slightly limited service offerings
EcoWatch's West Manheim, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
How can I find out if I qualify for different solar incentives?
In most cases, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar system
- installed on a property that you own
- within the U.S.
- within the date range specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including those run by the Pennsylvania government or by your county/municipality, might have additional qualifications. Speak with your local West Manheim solar installer to find out what incentives your project may qualify for.
How much will a solar system save me on my electric bill in West Manheim annually?
Once you add solar panels to your house in West Manheim, you can anticipate savings of approximately $822.68 per year, or approximately $15,630.90 over the next 20 years.
Who installs solar panel systems near me?
To find a top-rated solar panel installer, check out our guide to West Manheim's top solar panel companies.
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar?
You can reduce your carbon footprint by 250 pounds of CO2 annually when you install solar panels. This adds up to around 5,000 pounds in 20 years. In addition, solar power is a renewable energy source, meaning that making the switch lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
Can I use solar and another type of renewable energy in combination to power my home?
Yes, you can employ multiple types of renewable energy to power your home, such as a combination of solar and wind power. You can also combine renewable energy generation with a non-renewable backup source of energy. Make sure that you discuss your plan with your local West Manheim solar panel installer, to get an understanding of what will be needed and what incentives you will or won't 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.