2025 Solar Incentives Guide for Summerville, SC - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Summerville.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2024 and beyond)
- Ways to optimize your solar investment
Solar installers are experts in maximizing your solar tax credits and rebates.
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Summerville?
Renewable Energy and Energy Storage Property Tax Exemption
Santee Cooper - Rooftop Solar Rebate Program
Non-Profit: $1.30/W
Solar Energy, Small Hydropower, and Geothermal Tax Credit (Corporate)
Solar Energy, Small Hydropower, and Geothermal Tax Credit (Personal)
Berkeley Electric Cooperative - Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Dual Fuel System: $500/home
Water Heater: $200 - $400
Berkeley Electric Cooperative - Energy Efficiency Loan Programs
Energy Advance: $20,000
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are designed to make renewable energy usage more affordable via financial incentives for individuals who install solar panels on their homes. The incentives could include upfront discounts, cash back or monthly credits towards your utility bill. Some incentives are provided by the federal government, some by the South Carolina government and some by your specific utility company, county or municipality. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- Tax Credits: Different from tax deductions, tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panels could qualify for exemptions on both sales and property tax. Sales tax exemptions come into effect at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions allow you to ignore the added value of the solar panels when you are calculating property taxes on your house.
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund given after you've purchased your solar panels. These may be offered by your local utility company, your state or your county. The cash back that you get from the rebates is normally applied before calculating tax credits.
- Net Metering: Be sure to speak to your Summerville utility company about signing a net metering contract. This will allow you to receive credit towards your utility bill every month for the value of excess energy generated by your solar panels. You might receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries
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
When thinking about solar incentives, federal incentives might be the first thing that comes to mind. The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, is probably the most well-known federal solar incentive. The ITC provides you with a tax credit for a specific percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC applies to the total cost of installing a solar system, including the panels themselves as well as equipment, labor and accessories. This credit can be claimed for panels installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence that you own, as long as it is located in the United States. The tax credit ranges from 26-30% of total costs depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
To better understand how the ITC may apply to your situation, reach out to your local Summerville solar panel installation expert and request more information.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act expanded and extended the ITC, now titled the Clean Energy Credit. The new Clean Energy Credit now runs until 2035. Homeowners are now eligible for a 30% credit for solar systems that began installation after January 1, 2022, and are completed by the end of 2032. The credit will then decrease annually until it expires. The program expansion also makes credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim, starting in 2023.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. The easiest way to fully understand how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you is to get in touch with your local Summerville solar panel installation expert.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are not your only option; tax credits, rebates and more are often offered at the state and local level. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others are only available for a limited time. Solar incentives may be given by the South Carolina government, or by your county or municipality.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Summerville
There are a number of different solar incentives: those given by local utility companies, those provided by the federal government and those provided by the South Carolina government, to name a few. Solar energy utilization has increased enormously in the last 15 years, partially due to these incentives. We suggest talking to your local Summerville solar installation expert to learn more about these incentives and to ensure that you're getting all the money you can for your solar panels.
EcoWatch's Summerville, SC Solar Incentives FAQs
I already have solar panels. Does my system 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 had your system installed between 2006 and 2021, you may qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the exact installation date. Talking to the company that installed your solar system, or any local Summerville solar installer, can help you learn what incentives you qualify for.
Who installs solar panels near me?
To find the right solar panel installer for you, check out our guide to the top solar companies in Summerville.
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar?
You can lower your carbon footprint by 100 pounds of CO2 annually by installing solar panels. This adds up to roughly 2,000 pounds over 20 years. In addition, solar power is a renewable energy source, meaning that switching your home over reduces the drain on our planet's resources.
When does the federal solar tax credit end?
The federal solar tax credit, previously called the ITC and now titled the Clean Energy Credit, is slated 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.
If I change out my appliances for ones that can use solar energy, are there incentives I can claim?
Under the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are a variety of new financial incentives for making eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details on these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
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.