2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Lakehills, TX - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Lakehills.
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 Lakehills?
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
CPS Energy - Solar PV Rebate Program
Next $5 million will pay a flat rebate of $1,500 per project, plus $500 for locally-produced panels
Commercial: $1 million will pay $0.60/Watt, plus an additional $0.10/Watt for locally-produced panels
CPS Energy - Solar Hot Water Rebate Program
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are intended to make renewable energy usage more affordable through financial incentives to help people install solar panels on their homes. You may qualify for different types of incentives, including cash back, discounts or monthly utility bill credits, depending on your situation. Some incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the Texas government and others from the federal government. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Net Metering: Net metering is an incentive you can get once your solar system is up and running. If you have a net metering agreement in place with your Lakehills utility company, the company will subtract the value of the excess energy your solar system produces from your monthly utility bill. In some locations, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in other areas you might receive a refund equivalent to a percentage of the value.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, how much income tax you owe the federal government. These are different from tax deductions.
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions may come in one of two forms. The first is sales tax exemption, which is applied when you purchase solar panels. The second is property tax exemption, which allows you to ignore the value added by your solar system when paying property tax on your home.
- Rebates: A solar rebate is a partial refund after the purchase of your solar system. These could be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The rebates are usually applied before tax credits are calculated.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the kind of incentives that you are most likely to have some knowledge of. One of the incentives many people are probably familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). The ITC is a tax credit for a specified percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC covers solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 and lets you deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, labor, equipment and accessories. This credit can be claimed on solar panels installed on a primary or secondary residence that you own in the United States. The original claim amount was 30% of the total cost, although depending on when the project was completed, your credit may range from 26-30%. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
Reaching out to your local Lakehills solar panel installation expert is the best way to understand how the ITC applies to you.
The ITC was both renewed and expanded by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. It's also now called the Clean Energy Credit. Homeowners can now receive a credit equal to 30% of the total solar system installation costs for projects that began after January 1, 2022 and will be finished by the end of 2032. The credit percentage will then decrease on a yearly basis until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. The easiest way to understand how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you is to speak with your local Lakehills solar panel installers directly.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also provided at the state and local level. Similar to federal incentives, these might include rebates, tax credits and more. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others are offered for only a limited time. These local incentives may come from the Texas government, or from your specific county or municipality.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Lakehills
The variety of available solar incentives has enormously increased the nationwide adoption of solar energy over the last 15 years. You might qualify for solar incentives from your local utility company, the Texas government or the federal government. Your local Lakehills solar panel installation expert can help you learn more about which incentives you can apply for, and get you feeling good about making the change to renewable energy today.
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 Lakehills, TX Solar Incentives FAQs
If I already have a solar system installed on my house, can I still claim incentives?
Your best bet is to talk to a representative from the company that installed your solar panels — or reach out to a local Lakehills solar installer — to clarify which incentives you might qualify for. If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Solar panels installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
How much will solar panels save me on my electric bill in Lakehills annually?
After adding solar panels to your Lakehills home, you can anticipate savings of approximately $972.32 per year, or approximately $18,474.17 over 20 years.
Who installs solar panels near me?
To find the right solar panel installer for you, check out our guide to Lakehills' best solar panel companies.
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar?
You can decrease your carbon footprint by 400 pounds of CO2 a year when you switch to solar panels. This adds up to around 8,000 pounds in 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, meaning that switching your home over lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
How long until the federal solar tax credit ends?
The federal solar tax credit, formerly known as the ITC and now named the Clean Energy Credit, is scheduled to end January 1, 2035. The current 30% credit will end in 2032, replaced by a 26% credit in 2033 and a 22% credit in 2034.
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.