2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Blacksburg, VA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Blacksburg.
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 September 15, 2023
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Blacksburg?
Income Tax Deduction for Energy-Efficient Products
Local Option- Renewable Energy Machinery and Tools Property Tax Exemption
Local Option - Residential Property Tax Exemption for Solar
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives encourage homeowners to switch their home over to renewable energy by providing financial incentives that lower the burden of solar panel installation and use. Incentives can include things like discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are offered by the federal government, while others are offered by the state of Virginia or by your specific utility company, county or municipality. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- Rebates: A solar rebate is a partial refund given after you've purchased your solar system. These might be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The discount that rebates offer is normally applied to the price of solar panels before calculating tax credits.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much in taxes you owe the government.
- Net Metering: You can sign a net metering agreement with your Blacksburg utility company, that may apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity your solar panels generate. Your utility company will then subtract this value from your monthly utility bill.
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions go into effect at the time of purchase for your solar system. Property tax exemptions allow you to ignore the value that your solar panels add when you're calculating how much property tax you need to pay on your house.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): In most cases, solar systems that produce over a threshold (normally small) amount of electricity can qualify for SRECs or other similar performance-based incentives. SRECs and similar incentives are typically offered at the state level. SRECs can be sold to your utility company or another buyer, and the money you receive is normally considered part of your taxable income.
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Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the type of incentives that you are most likely to have heard of. One of the incentives that most people are likely familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This is a tax credit for a specific percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC can be applied to the total cost of installing a solar system, including the panels themselves as well as labor, equipment and accessories. You can claim this credit 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. From its original value of 30% of the total cost, the credit has fluctuated slightly between 26-30%, and you may qualify for varying percentages depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
To understand exactly how much money the ITC could save you, contact your local Blacksburg solar panel installer.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, expanded and extended the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). The Clean Energy Credit lasts until 2035. Your solar installation project undertaken between 2022 and 2032 may qualify for a 30% tax credit. The amount will then decrease slightly on a yearly basis until the current program ends. The expansion also makes claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before, beginning in 2023.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. To fully understand how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you, speak with your local Blacksburg solar installation company.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also provided by state and local governments. As with federal incentives, these can include rebates, tax credits and more. These incentives — which might be given by the state of Virginia, or by your county or municipality — could be offered for only a limited time, or on an ongoing basis.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Blacksburg
There are many kinds of solar incentives: those given by the federal government, those given by the Virginia government and those given by local utility companies, to name a few. Solar energy utilization has grown tremendously in the last 15 years, thanks to these incentives. Your local Blacksburg solar panel installation expert can give you more information about which incentives you might qualify for, and get you started on the path to switching to renewable energy today.
EcoWatch's Blacksburg, VA Solar Incentives FAQs
Can I receive any incentives when I add solar panels to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property?
While we recommend getting in touch with your local solar installer and/or tax professional to better understand what solar incentives apply to you, many will apply to a second home, so long as that home is in the United States and owned by you. There may be other incentives available for commercial properties specifically, depending on the specifics.
If I installed solar panels on my house a few years ago, can I still claim incentives?
If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. If you had your system installed between 2006 and 2021, you might qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the date of installation. Reaching out to the company that installed your system, or any local Blacksburg solar installer, can help you understand what incentives you can apply for.
What are some environmental benefits of installing solar panels on my home?
You can lower your carbon footprint by 450 pounds of CO2 annually by installing solar panels. This adds up to roughly 9,000 pounds in 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, meaning that making the switch lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
Can I apply for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order your incentives will be applied in may vary depending on which incentives you are eligible for but usually yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Talk with your solar installer or a local tax professional to ensure you are claiming all possible incentives and applying them in the correct order.
Can I use multiple types 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 Blacksburg solar installer. They can help you plan your project and give you an understanding of various incentives that you will or won't 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.