2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Gloucester Point, VA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Gloucester Point.
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 Gloucester Point?
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 are meant to encourage people to switch their home over to renewable energy by providing financial incentives that lower the burden of solar panel installation and use. Different kinds of incentives, including discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits, might be available to you. Certain incentives may be handled by the state of Virginia, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while others are federal. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Tax Credits: Different from tax deductions, tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government.
- Net Metering: Make sure you speak to your Gloucester Point utility company about signing a net metering contract. This will allow 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.
- Rebates: Solar rebates might be provided by your state or county, or by your local utility company. These rebates are essentially cash back that is applied after you pay for solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions may come in one of two forms. The first is sales tax exemption, applied at the time you purchase your solar panels. The second is property tax exemption. This allows you to ignore the added value of your solar system when calculating property tax for your home.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): Typically, solar systems that produce more than a predetermined (usually small) amount of electricity can qualify for SRECs or other similar performance-based incentives. SRECs and the like are typically given at the state level. When you receive an SREC, you can sell it to your utility company or another buyer, and this is usually considered part of your taxable income.
Best National Provider
SunPower
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- Customer service varies by local dealer
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
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Best Social Impact
Palmetto Solar
- Expansive service area
- Makes charitable contributions
- Certified B Corp
- No leases or PPAs
- Quality of installation may vary by location
Federal Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think about solar incentives. It's likely that you've heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This is a tax credit equal to a predetermined percentage of the money you spend installing solar panels.
The ITC applies towards solar systems installed after January 1, 2006, and under this program you can deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, labor, accessories and equipment. You can receive this credit for a solar panel system installed on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. The original amount you could claim was 30% of the total cost, although certain projects may qualify for only 26%, depending on the details. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
Speaking with your local Gloucester Point solar panel installer is the best way to learn more about how the ITC could apply to your situation.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, added more provisions to the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). For solar systems installed between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2032, homeowners can apply for a credit equal to 30% of the total cost. This percentage will decrease annually after 2032 until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. Starting in 2023, the expansion to the program will also make it easier to get credit for energy storage systems.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. Your local Gloucester Point solar panel installers are the best people to answer your questions about the new Clean Energy Credit and how it may apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
There are often also state solar incentives in addition to those provided by the federal government. Tax credits, rebates and more can be offered at a more local level. These incentives might be provided by the Virginia government, or by your county or municipality. Some incentives may be available for a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Gloucester Point
There are many types of solar incentives: those provided by the federal government, those provided by the Virginia government and those offered by local utility companies, to name a few. Solar energy use has grown enormously in the last 15 years, thanks to these incentives. Speaking with your local Gloucester Point solar panel installation company is an excellent first step towards getting all the incentives you qualify for when you switch to solar energy.
EcoWatch's Gloucester Point, VA Solar Incentives FAQs
My home already has solar panels installed. Do I qualify for any incentives?
An excellent idea would be to talk to a representative from the company that installed your system – or call a local Gloucester Point solar installer — to better understand which incentives you may qualify for. If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar energy?
You can decrease your carbon footprint by 300 pounds of CO2 annually by switching to solar panels. This adds up to around 6,000 pounds over 20 years. Solar is also 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 Clean Energy Credit (formerly called the federal solar tax credit, or 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 credits I can claim?
The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act includes provisions for multiple incentives that reward homeowners for making 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 a combination of solar and another type 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. Make sure you discuss your ideas with your local Gloucester Point solar installation expert. They can help you plan your project and give you an understanding of various incentives that 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.