2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Baytown, TX - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Baytown.
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 March 14, 2023
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Baytown?
Renewable Energy Systems Property Tax Exemption
Texas Gas Service - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Home Improvement (includes attic insulation, duct sealing, duct insulation, duct replacement, high-efficiency gas furnace, and Wi-Fi thermostat: Up to $1000
Solar Water Heater With Natural Gas Backup: $750
Tankless or Super High-efficiency Water Heater: $650
Furnace: $675
Furnace Tune-Up: $40
Natural Gas Dryer with moisture sensor: $225
Natural Gas Dryer Stub: $300
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are designed to make renewable energy usage more affordable through financial incentives to help people install solar panels on their homes. Incentives might include things like discounts, cash back or credit on your utility bill each month. Some incentives are handled federally, while others are provided by the state of Texas or your specific utility company, county or municipality. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Rebates: Solar rebates can be provided by your state or county, or by your local utility company. These rebates are essentially partial refunds that are applied after your purchase of a solar system and before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Credits: Different from tax deductions, tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax that you owe the government.
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions can come in one of two forms. First, there is sales tax exemption, applied when you purchase solar panels. The second is property tax exemption. This allows you to exclude the added value of your solar system when paying property tax on your home.
- Net Metering: You may be able to sign a net metering contract with your Baytown utility company, that may apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity your solar panels generate. They will then deduct this value from your monthly utility bill.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the kind of incentives that you are most likely to have heard of. The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, is probably the most well-known federal solar incentive. The ITC allows you to claim a tax credit for a predetermined percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC is applied to the total cost of solar panel installation, including the panels themselves as well as equipment, labor and accessories. You can claim this credit for panels installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence located in the United States that you own. Originally set at 30% of total costs, the credit has fluctuated over time, and you may qualify for different amounts depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum claim amount.
To find out exactly how much money the ITC could save you, get in touch with your local Baytown solar panel installer.
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 new Clean Energy Credit extends until 2035. You can now apply for a 30% credit for solar systems installed between 2022 and 2032. This new credit will then be decreased by a few percentage points every year until it expires. Starting in 2023, the expansion will also make credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. To understand how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you, speak with your local Baytown solar installation company.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also provided at the state and local level. Like with federal incentives, these might include tax credits, rebates and more. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others are offered for only a limited time. Your local incentives might come from your county or municipality, or from the Texas government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Baytown
You can apply for solar incentives from the federal government and the Texas government, as well as from your local utility company. The growing availability of solar initiatives in the past 15 years has helped increase nationwide solar energy use enormously. If you're prepared to make the switch to solar energy, reaching out to your local Baytown solar panel installation expert is a great first step.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries (coming 2022)
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 Baytown, TX Solar Incentives FAQs
How much will solar panels save me annually on my electric bill in Baytown?
When you add solar panels to your Baytown home, you can expect to save approximately $938.84 per year, or approximately $17,838.05 over 20 years.
What are the environmental benefits of switching to solar?
You can decrease your carbon footprint by 400 pounds of CO2 annually by installing solar panels. This adds up to around 8,000 pounds over 20 years. In addition, solar power is a renewable energy source, which means that making the switch reduces the drain on our planet's resources.
When does the federal solar tax credit end?
The Clean Energy Credit (previously called the federal solar tax credit, or the ITC), currently ends on January 1, 2035. Currently set at 30%, the credit will drop to 26% in 2033 and to 22% in 2034.
If I trade in my appliances for ones that utilize solar energy, are there any credits I can claim?
With the passage of the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are a variety of new financial incentives to encourage you to make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details regarding these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I use a combination of solar and another type 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 Baytown solar installation expert. They can help you as you plan for your project and also help you understand the 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.