2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Staunton, VA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Staunton.
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 October 25, 2023
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Staunton?
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 designed to encourage people to switch to renewable energy by providing incentives meant to lower the financial burden of solar panel installation and use. Incentives might include things like discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are offered federally, while others are offered by the Virginia government or your utility company, county or municipality. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Tax Exemptions: These might come in the form of property tax exemptions, which would allow you to ignore the value added by your solar panels when paying property tax on your house. You could also look for exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
- Rebates: Solar rebates may be offered by your county or state, or by your local utility company. These rebates work as partial refunds that are applied after you purchase solar panels and before tax credits are calculated.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs can be sold to your utility company (or other buyers) for money that normally counts as part of your taxable income. Typically, a certain (small) threshold of energy production must be met before your solar system can earn SRECs or other performance-based incentives. These kinds of incentives are normally handled at the state level.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much income tax you owe the government.
- Net Metering: Net metering becomes relevant once your solar panels are up and running. If you have a net metering agreement with your Staunton utility company, it will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your utility bill each month. In some places, this is a dollar-for-dollar credit, while in others you may get refunded a percentage of the value.
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Federal Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are likely the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about solar incentives. You've likely heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This incentive is a tax credit equal to a certain percentage of the money you spend on your solar system.
The ITC applies to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006 on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. Originally, the tax credit was for 30% of the total cost – for panels, accessories, labor and equipment – although the percentage may range from 26-30%, depending on the installation date of your solar system. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.
Your local Staunton solar panel installer can give you more information about the ITC and how it may apply to your situation.
In August 2022, the ITC (now called the Clean Energy Credit) was bolstered by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. Under the new program, solar installation projects that are completed between 2022 and 2032 can qualify for a 30% tax credit. The amount of the credit will then decrease slightly each year until the end of the current Clean Energy Credit in 2035. The expansion to the program also makes it easier to get credit for energy storage systems, beginning in 2023.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Staunton solar panel installer can answer your questions and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Federal solar incentives are not your only option; tax credits, rebates and more are often offered at the state and local level. These incentives — which may be given 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 Staunton
Solar incentives can be provided by your local utlity company, the Virginia government or the federal government. The large number of available solar incentives has helped nationwide use of solar energy increase greatly in the last 15 years. We recommend talking to your local Staunton solar installation expert to learn more about these incentives and to make sure that you're getting the most money possible for your solar panels.
EcoWatch's Staunton, VA Solar Incentives FAQs
What if I am planning to add a solar system to a rental property, vacation home or commercial property? Will I still qualify for incentives?
Many solar incentives apply to a property you own that is located within the United States, and most secondary residences fall into this category. Other solar incentives may be available for commercial properties, depending on the specifics. We recommend talking to your local solar installer and/or tax professional to best understand what incentives apply to your specific situation.
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar?
You can decrease your carbon footprint by 450 pounds of CO2 annually by installing solar panels. This adds up to around 9,000 pounds in 20 years. In addition, solar power is a renewable energy source, which means that making the switch lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
If I trade in my appliances for ones that utilize solar energy, are there credits I can claim?
With the passage of the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are a variety of new financial incentives to encourage you to make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details on these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I claim incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order your incentives will be applied in may vary depending on which incentives you receive 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 confirm 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.