2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Falls Church, VA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Falls Church.
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 May 04, 2023
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Falls Church?
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 phrase "solar incentives" refers to a range of financial incentives implemented to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. Incentives may include things like discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits. Some incentives are offered federally, while others are handled by the Virginia government or by your specific utility company, county or municipality. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Rebates: Solar rebates may be provided by your local utility company, or by your state or county. These rebates are essentially partial refunds that are applied after your purchase of solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions may come in two forms. The first is sales tax exemption, which is applied when you purchase solar panels. The second is property tax exemption. This allows you to ignore the value added by your solar system when calculating property tax for your house.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar performance-based incentives are usually handled by your state government. Once your solar system meets a certain threshold (typically a small amount of energy production), you can receive SRECs that you can then sell to your utility company or other buyers. The money you receive from the sale is generally considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Credits: Unlike tax deductions, tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government.
- Net Metering: Net metering factors in once your solar panels are up and running. If you've signed a net metering agreement with your Falls Church utility company, they will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your monthly utility bill. In some locations, this credit is dollar-for-dollar, while in other areas you may make back a percentage of the value.
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the type of incentives that you are most likely to have heard of. The solar incentive that you're most likely to have heard of is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which gives you a credit on your taxes equal to a specified percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC applies to solar panels installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence that you own in the United States. The credit initially covered 30% of the total cost — for panels, labor, equipment and accessories — although the percentage may range from 26-30%, depending on when your solar project was undertaken. There is no cap on the claim amount.
To best understand how the ITC will apply to your situation, speak to your local Falls Church solar panel installer and request more information.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act laid out new provisions for the ITC, now dubbed the Clean Energy Credit. The Clean Energy Credit bolsters the current credit, increasing it up to 30% for solar installation projects started after January 1, 2022 and completed by the end of 2032. At this point, the credit percentage will decrease slightly each year until the program expires in 2035. The program 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. Your local Falls Church solar panel installation expert is the best person to answer your questions about the new Clean Energy Credit and how it may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Tax credits, rebates and more might be claimed at multiple levels. In addition to federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones, too. The incentives — which might be provided by your county or municipality, or by the state of Virginia — might be offered for only a limited time, or on an ongoing basis.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Falls Church
Solar incentives may be provided by your local utility company, the federal government or the Virginia government. The growing number of available incentives has facilitated the nationwide growth of solar energy use in the last 15 years. We suggest talking to your local Falls Church solar installation expert to learn more about these incentives and to ensure that you're getting the largest number possible for your solar system.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries
Best Warranty Coverage
Sunpro Solar
- Industry-leading warranty coverage
- Expansive service area
- Some reported communication issues
- No leases or PPAs
EcoWatch's Falls Church, VA Solar Incentives FAQs
What if I am planning to add solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property? Will I still qualify for incentives?
While we recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what solar incentives apply to you, many can be claimed on a second home, provided that it is in the United States and owned by you. There may be additional incentives available specifically for commercial properties, depending on the details.
How do I know if I qualify for solar incentives?
Typically, solar incentives apply to:
- a new solar panel system
- installed on property that you own
- within the U.S.
- within the date range specified by a particular incentive.
Specific incentives, including those run by the Virginia government or by your county/municipality, may have additional qualifications. Get in touch with your local Falls Church solar installer to find out what incentives your project will qualify for.
My home already has solar panels installed. Are there any incentives that I qualify for?
Your best bet is to talk to the company that installed your system — or speak to a local Falls Church solar installer — to clarify which incentives you may qualify for. If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Solar systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
How much will a solar system save me annually on my electric bill in Falls Church?
Once you add solar panels to your house in Falls Church, you can anticipate savings of around $895.71 per year, or around $17,018.43 over the next 20 years.
Can I use a combination of multiple types of renewable energy to power my home?
You can use multiple types of renewable energy, or a combination of renewable and non-renewable energy, to power your home. Be sure to discuss your plan with your local Falls Church solar installer. They can help you as you plan for your project and give you an understanding of various incentives that you may or may 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.