2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Whitpain, PA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Whitpain.
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 Whitpain?
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 a solar panel system on your home. Financial incentives like these are intended to encourage more people to switch their home over to renewable energy. You might be eligible for several types of incentives, including cash back, discounts 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 Pennsylvania government and others from the federal government. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions are effective at the time of purchase for your solar panels. Property tax exemptions allow you to ignore the value added by your solar system when you're calculating the amount of property tax you need to pay on your house.
- 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 (typically 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 is usually considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits lower, dollar-for-dollar, the total amount of tax you owe the government. Tax credits are different from tax deductions.
- Net Metering: Net metering is an incentive you can get after your solar system is up and running. If you've signed a net metering agreement with your Whitpain utility company, it will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your monthly utility bill. In some places, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in other places you may make back a percentage of the value.
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund credited to your account after you've paid for your solar system. Rebates might be offered by your local utility company, your state or your county. The rebates are usually applied before tax credits are calculated.
Federal Solar Incentives
When people think of solar incentives, federal incentives might be the first thing that comes to mind. You've likely heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This incentive is a tax credit that reduces your taxes by a certain percentage of the money you spend on your solar system.
The ITC applies to solar panels installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence that you own in the United States. Originally, the tax credit was for 30% of the total cost — for panels, labor, accessories and equipment — although the percentage may range from 26-30%, depending on the installation date of your solar system. There is no cap on the claim amount.
Contacting your local Whitpain solar panel installation expert is the best way to understand how the ITC applies to you.
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. The Clean Energy Credit re-raises the credit up to 30% for solar installations undertaken between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2032. After 2032, the percentage will decrease slightly each year until the end of the program in 2035. The expansion to the program 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. The best way to learn more about how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you is to talk with your local Whitpain solar panel company.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Not all solar incentives are federal; tax credits, rebates and more are often offered at the state and local level. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others are offered for only a limited time. These local incentives might come from your county or municipality, or from the Pennsylvania government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Whitpain
You can apply for solar incentives from the federal government and the Pennsylvania government, as well as from your local utility company. The growing availability of solar initiatives in the past 15 years has helped increase solar adoption nationwide. Speak with your local solar panel installation company today to learn more and to save as much money as possible on a solar system for your Whitpain home.
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EcoWatch's Whitpain, PA Solar Incentives FAQs
Can I claim incentives for adding solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property?
While we recommend getting in touch with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to better understand what solar incentives apply to you, many incentives can be claimed on a second home, as long as it is in the United States and owned by you. There may be other incentives available specifically for commercial properties, depending on the details.
My home already has solar panels installed. Are there any incentives that I qualify for?
Your best bet is to talk to someone from the company that installed your solar system — or reach out to a local Whitpain solar installer — to learn about which incentives you may qualify for. If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
What are the environmental benefits of switching to solar energy?
Solar energy is a renewable energy source — by changing where you get your energy, you help lessen the strain on our planet's resources. You can also reduce the CO2 emissions from your home by 250 pounds annually, or around 5,000 pounds in 20 years.
When does the federal solar tax credit end?
The federal solar tax credit, formerly known as the ITC and now titled the Clean Energy Credit, is scheduled to end on January 1, 2035. The current 30% credit will end in 2032, replaced by a 26% credit in 2033 and a 22% credit in 2034.
Can I qualify for incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
Yes, you can receive both tax credits and rebates towards the cost of your solar panels. Depending on precisely which incentives you are applying for, they may apply in a different order. Make sure that you speak with your solar installer or a local tax professional to verify that you are claiming the correct incentives and that you're getting the most money possible.
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.