2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Burke, VA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Burke.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2024 and beyond)
- Ways to optimize your solar investment
Solar installers are experts in maximizing your solar tax credits and rebates.
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Burke?
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/
The term "solar incentives" covers a range of financial incentives designed to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. These incentives may include cash back, upfront discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are given by the federal government, some by the Virginia government and some by your utility company, county or municipality. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund credited to your account after you've paid for your solar panels. 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 in the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government. (This is different from a tax deduction.)
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions are effective at the point of sale for your solar panels. Property tax exemptions allow you to ignore the value added by your solar system when calculating the amount of property tax you need to pay on your house.
- Net Metering: Don't forget to speak with your Burke utility company about signing a net metering agreement. This allows you to receive credit towards your monthly utility bill for the value of excess energy your solar panels generate. You could receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for money that is generally considered part of your taxable income. In most cases, there is a small threshold of energy production to meet before your solar system can earn SRECs or similar performance-based incentives. Incentives like these are generally handled at the state level.
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SunPower
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Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
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Palmetto Solar
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Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the kind of incentives that you are most likely to have heard 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 specified percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC can be applied to solar panels installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence that you own in the United States. Originally, the tax credit was for 30% of the total cost – for panels, equipment, labor and accessories – although it may range from 26-30%, depending on when your solar project was undertaken. There is no cap on the claim amount.
Have questions about how the ITC applies to your specific situation? Contact your local Burke solar panel installation expert to get more information.
The ITC has been renewed and expanded following 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 costs of solar system installation for projects that began after January 1, 2022, and will be finished by the end of 2032. The credit percentage will then begin to decrease annually until the Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. Your local Burke solar panel company is the best resource for answering your questions about the new Clean Energy Credit and how it applies to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be provided at the state and local level. Like with federal incentives, these may include tax credits, rebates and more. These incentives — which may be handled by your county or municipality, or by the state of Virginia — may be offered on an ongoing basis, or for only a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Burke
You can apply for solar incentives from the federal government and the Virginia 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 ready to make the change to solar energy, talking to your local Burke solar panel installation expert is a great first step.
EcoWatch's Burke, VA Solar Incentives FAQs
How much can I save on my electric bill annually if I install solar panels on my house in Burke?
On average, homeowners in Burke who install solar panels save about $898.00 per year, or around $17,062.02 over 20 years after they make the switch.
What are some environmental benefits of installing solar panels on my house?
You can reduce your carbon footprint by 300 pounds of CO2 a year when you switch to solar panels. This adds up to roughly 6,000 pounds over 20 years. In addition, solar power is 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, previously called the ITC and now titled the Clean Energy Credit, is set 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.
If I change out my appliances for ones that utilize solar energy, are there any benefits that I can claim?
The new Inflation Reduction Act includes provisions for multiple incentives meant to reward homeowners who make eco-friendly upgrades. Some of these incentives include tax credits and rebates for installing new electric appliances. You can find more details about these incentives here.
Can I use multiple types of renewable energy to power my home?
Yes, you can utilize multiple types of renewable energy to power your home — for example, a combination of solar and geothermal. You can also use both renewable energy sources and a non-renewable backup source of energy. Make sure that you discuss your proposed plan with your local Burke solar panel installer, so that you understand what you'll need and what types of incentives you might or might 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.