2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Salt Lake City, UT - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Salt Lake City.
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 Salt Lake City?
Renewable Energy Systems Tax Credit (Corporate)
Other commercial technologies and commercial wind, geothermal electric, solar PV, and biomass systems smaller than 600 kW: 10% of installed cost
Photovoltaic systems between 660 kW and 2 MW: May choose either 0.35¢/kWh ($0.0035/kWh) for 4 years or 10% of installed cost
Renewable Energy Systems Tax Credit (Personal)
Commercial wind, geothermal electric, and biomass systems 660 kW or greater 0.35¢/kWh ($0.0035/kWh) for 4 years
Other commercial technologies and commercial wind, geothermal electric, and biomass systems smaller than 660 kW: 10% of installed cost
Solar photovoltaic systems 2 MW or greater: 0.35¢/kWh ($0.0035/kWh) for 4 years
Solar photovoltaic systems smaller than 660 kW: 10% of installed cost Solar photovoltaic systems between 660 kW and 2 MW: May choose either 0.35¢/kWh ($0.0035/kWh) for 4 years or 10% of installed cost
Rocky Mountain Power - wattsmart Residential Efficiency Program
Electronically Commutated Motors: Up to $100
Evaporative Coolers: Up to $200
Heat Pumps: up to $750
Ground Source Heat Pumps: up to $2,500
Rooftop Heat Tape Timer: up to $100
Room Air Conditioners: Up to $20
Smart Thermostats: $50
Whole House Ventilation Fans: up to $125
Manufactured Homes Duct Sealing: Free service available
Manufactured Homes Ductless Heat Pumps: Up to $1,300
Lighting: Special pricing at certain retailers
Heat Pump Water Heaters: up to $550
Insulation: Up to $0.10/sq.ft
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
The phrase "solar incentives" includes a range of financial incentives put in place to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. Solar incentives can include upfront discounts, cash back or monthly credits towards your utility bill. Some incentives are offered by the federal government, some by the Utah government and some by your specific utility company, county or municipality. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Net Metering: Don't forget to speak with your Salt Lake City utility company about signing a net metering contract. This allows you to get a credit towards your utility bill every month for the value of excess energy generated by your solar panels. You could receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in the amount of tax that you owe the federal government.
- Rebates: Solar rebates can be provided by your local utility company, or by your county or state. These rebates are essentially partial refunds that are applied after you purchase a solar system and before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Exemptions: These might come in the form of property tax exemptions, which allow you to exclude the value of your solar system when paying property tax on your house. You may also qualify for an exemption on sales tax at the time of purchase.
Federal Solar Incentives
When you hear the term "solar incentives," federal incentives might be the first thing that comes to mind. It's likely that you've heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. The ITC is a tax credit equal to a certain percentage of the money you spend on your solar system.
The ITC can be applied 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, labor, equipment and accessories — although that amount may range from 26-30%, depending on when your solar project was undertaken. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.
Contacting your local Salt Lake City solar panel installation expert is the best way to understand how the ITC could apply to you.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act expanded and extended the ITC, now dubbed the Clean Energy Credit. Homeowners are now eligible for a credit of 30% of the total costs of solar system installation for projects started after January 1, 2022 and completed before the end of 2032. This percentage will then decrease on a yearly basis until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. Starting in 2023, it will also be easier to claim credits for energy storage systems under the new laws.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. To fully understand how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you, talk to your local Salt Lake City solar installers.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be provided at the state and local level. Similar to federal incentives, these can include tax credits, rebates and more. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others might only be available for a limited time. They may be given by your county or municipality, or by the Utah government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Salt Lake City
The expanding number of solar incentives available has helped tremendously increase the use of solar power nationwide over the last 15 years. You may receive solar incentives from the federal government, the Utah government or from your local utility company. If you're ready to switch over to solar energy, talking to your local Salt Lake City solar panel installation expert is a great first step.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
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- Doesn't offer solar batteries (coming 2022)
EcoWatch's Salt Lake City, UT Solar Incentives FAQs
What if I want to add solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property? Can I still qualify for incentives?
While we recommend getting in touch with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what solar incentives apply to you, many incentives will apply to a second home, as long as it is in the United States and owned by you. There may be other incentives available for commercial properties specifically, depending on the details.
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar?
You can reduce your carbon footprint by 300 pounds of CO2 annually when you install solar panels. This adds up to around 6,000 pounds in 20 years. In addition, solar power is a renewable energy source, which means that switching your home over lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
How long until the federal solar tax credit ends?
The Clean Energy Credit (previously referred to as the federal solar tax credit, or the ITC), is slated to end on January 1, 2035. Currently set at 30%, the credit will drop to 26% in 2033 and to 22% in 2034.
I want to switch my appliances out for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any benefits I can get?
The new Inflation Reduction Act creates a number 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 claim incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order that incentives will be applied in might vary depending on which incentives you are eligible for but in most cases yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Get in touch with your solar installer or a local tax professional to make sure you are claiming all of the incentives you qualify for and applying them in the correct order.
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.