2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Westtown, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Westtown.
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 Westtown?
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 are meant to help mitigate the cost of installing solar panels on your home. This category of financial incentives is designed to encourage more people to switch their home over to renewable energy. Various types of incentives, such as cash back, discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill, may be available to you. Certain incentives may be handled by the state of Pennsylvania, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while others are federal. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions may come in two forms. First, there is sales tax exemption, which is applied at the time you purchase your solar panels. The second is property tax exemption. This allows you to ignore the value added by your solar system when calculating property tax for your home.
- Net Metering: You can sign a net metering agreement with your Westtown utility company, that may apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity that is generated by your solar panels. Your utility company will then deduct this value from your monthly utility bill.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions that lower the amount of income tax you owe the government. (A tax credit is different from a tax deduction.)
- Rebates: Solar companies may help you claim a rebate, or partial refund after purchase, for your solar system. States or counties will also sometimes offer limited-time rebates. The value of a rebate will usually be deducted from your total price before tax credits are calculated.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and other performance-based incentives are generally handled by your state government. Once your solar panel system meets a predetermined threshold (normally a small amount of energy production), you are eligible to receive SRECs that can then be sold to your utility company or other buyers. The money you receive from the sale is usually considered part of your taxable income.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are likely the first thing that you think of when thinking about solar incentives. A federal incentive that most people are likely to be familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). The ITC is a tax credit for a given percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC applies to solar panels installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar system must have been installed after January 1, 2006 on a property you own for you to be eligible for the credit. Initially, the ITC applied to 30% of all system installation costs (panels, equipment, labor and accessories), although this amount has fluctuated over time between 26-30%. The amount you qualify for will depend on when your solar system was installed. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.
Wondering how the ITC applies to your specific situation? Get in touch with your local Westtown solar panel installation expert to get more information.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, made some changes to the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). Homeowners are now eligible for 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. The percentage will then begin to decrease yearly until the Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. The expansion also makes credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim, starting in 2023.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Westtown 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 may be provided at the state and local level. Like with federal incentives, these could include tax credits, rebates and more. Certain incentives are offered for only a limited time, while others are ongoing. These local incentives may come from your county or municipality, or from the Pennsylvania government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Westtown
Solar incentives can come from the federal government, the Pennsylvania government or your local utility company. The growing number of available solar incentives has contributed to a large increase in solar energy use in the last 15 years. Your local Westtown solar panel installation expert can provide you with more details about which incentives you may qualify for, and get you on track to switch to renewable energy today.
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EcoWatch's Westtown, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
My home already has solar panels installed. Do I qualify for any incentives?
If your solar system was installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. If you installed your system between 2006 and 2021, you might qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the exact installation date. Speaking with the company that installed your system, or any local Westtown solar installer, can help you understand what incentives you qualify for.
Who installs solar panel systems near me?
To find a top-rated solar panel installer, check out our guide to the top solar companies in Westtown.
How long until the federal solar tax credit ends?
The Clean Energy Credit (previously referred to as the federal solar tax credit, or ITC), currently ends on January 1, 2035. Currently set at 30%, the credit will drop to 26% in 2033 and to 22% in 2034.
Can I qualify for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
Yes, you can claim both tax credits and rebates towards the cost of your solar panels. Depending on which incentives you are applying for, they may apply in a different order. Be sure to talk to your solar installer or a local tax professional to confirm that you are claiming the correct incentives and getting the most money possible.
Can I use a combination of multiple types 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. Make sure you go over your ideas with your local Westtown solar installation expert. They can help you with the plan for your project and give you an understanding of 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.