2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Victoria, TX - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Victoria.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2024 and beyond)
- Ways to optimize your solar investment
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Victoria?
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 help mitigate the cost of installing a solar panel system on your home. These financial incentives are in place to encourage more people to switch to renewable energy. The incentives can include cash back, upfront discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are given by the federal government, some by the state of Texas and some by your specific utility company, county or municipality. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- Rebates: Your solar installer might help you claim a rebate, or partial refund of your purchase, for your solar panels. States or counties will also offer limited-time rebates at various times. The value of a rebate will usually be deducted from the total price before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Exemptions: These may come in the form of property tax exemptions, which allow you to ignore the value added by your solar panels when calculating the taxes you pay on your house. You could also look for exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
- Net Metering: Net metering becomes relevant once your solar system is up and running. If you have in place a net metering agreement with your Victoria utility company, the company will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your monthly utility bill. In some places, this credit is dollar-for-dollar, while in other areas you may receive a refund equivalent to a percentage of the value.
- Tax Credits: These credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much income tax you owe the government.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries
Best Regional Coverage
Momentum Solar
- Great warranty coverage
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- Concierge service ensures steady communication
- Slightly limited service offerings
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
Federal incentives are the kind of incentives that you are most likely to have some knowledge of. The solar incentive that you may be most familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which gives you a credit on your taxes equal to a percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC applies to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. The credit initially covered 30% of the total cost – for panels, accessories, labor and equipment – although it may range from 26-30%, depending on when your solar project was undertaken. There is no cap on the claim amount.
To better understand how the ITC might apply to you, reach out to your local Victoria solar panel installer and ask for more information.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, added more provisions to the ITC (as well as retitling it the Clean Energy Credit). For solar system installations that begin after January 1, 2022, and are completed by the end of 2032, homeowners can apply for a credit for 30% of the total cost. The percentage will then decrease annually until the Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, the expansion to the program will also make it easier to get credit for energy storage systems.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Victoria solar panel company 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 offered at the local or state level. As with federal incentives, these may include rebates, tax credits and more. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others are available for a limited time. Incentives might be given by the Texas government, or by your county or municipality.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Victoria
You can apply for solar incentives from the federal government and the Texas government, as well as from your local utility company. The increased availability of solar initiatives in the past 15 years has helped increase nationwide solar energy use enormously. We recommend talking to your local Victoria solar installation expert to learn more about these incentives and to ensure that you're getting all the money you can for your solar system.
EcoWatch's Victoria, TX Solar Incentives FAQs
If I installed solar panels on my house a few years ago, can I still claim incentives?
If your solar system was installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. If your system was installed between 2006 and 2021, you might qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the date of installation. Talking to the company that installed your solar system, or any local Victoria solar installer, can help you understand what incentives you can apply for.
How much can I save on my electric bill annually if I add solar panels to my Victoria home?
On average, homeowners in Victoria who install solar panels save about $997.17 per year, or about $18,946.28 over 20 years after they make the switch.
What are some environmental benefits of adding solar panels to my home?
You can reduce your carbon footprint by 400 pounds of CO2 a year by switching to solar panels. This adds up to around 8,000 pounds in 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, which means that switching your home over lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
Can I apply for incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order your incentives will be applied in may vary depending on which incentives you receive but in most cases yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Talk with your solar installer or a local tax professional to be sure you are claiming all the incentives you're eligible for and applying them in the correct order.
What if I want to add solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property? Do I still qualify for incentives?
Many solar incentives apply to a property you own that is located within the United States; most secondary residences fall into this category. Other solar incentives may be available for commercial properties, depending on the specifics. We recommend speaking with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to better understand what incentives apply to your specific situation.
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.