2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Bellevue, WI - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Bellevue.
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.
Get a free quote from one of our trusted Bellevue solar installers to see how much you can save.
Please enter a valid 5-digit zip code!
Why you can trust EcoWatch
What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Bellevue?
Renewable Energy Sales Tax Exemptions
Renewable Rewards Program
Business - 0-5 kW: $200 per kW
5-10 kW: $1000 + $150 per kW over 5
10-100 kW: $1750 + $125 per kW over 10
100-300 kW: $13000 + $100 per kW over 100
300-500 kW: $33000 + $85 per kW over 300
Biogas, Solar, and Wind Energy Equipment Exemption
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are designed to mitigate the cost of installing solar panels on your home. This category of financial incentives is intended to encourage more homeowners to switch to renewable energy. You might be eligible for various types of incentives, including discounts, cash back or credit towards your monthly utility bill, depending on your situation. Certain incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the state of Wisconsin and others from the federal government. Types of solar incentives might include:
- Rebates: Solar rebates may be offered by your local utility company, or by your state or county. These rebates work as partial refunds that are applied after you pay for a solar system and before tax credits are calculated.
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar panel system may qualify for both sales tax and property tax exemptions. Sales tax exemptions are applied at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you ignore the value added by your solar panels when you are calculating property taxes on your house.
- Net Metering: Don't forget to talk with your Bellevue utility company about signing a net metering contract. This will allow you to get a credit towards your utility bill every month for the value of excess energy your solar panels generate. You might receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in how much in taxes you owe the federal government.
Best National Provider
SunPower
- Most efficient panels on the market
- National coverage
- Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
- Great warranty coverage
- Expensive
- Customer service varies by local dealer
Best for Leasing
Sunrun
- Expansive service area
- Many financing options
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Some reported issues with door-to-door sales
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 you think of when you think about solar incentives. A federal incentive that most people are probably familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This incentive is a tax credit for a predetermined percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC applies to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence that you own in the United States. Initially, the credit applied to 30% of the total cost – for panels, equipment, labor and accessories – although it may range from 26-30%, depending on the installation date of your solar system. There is no cap on the amount you can claim.
To know exactly how much the ITC could save you, contact your local Bellevue solar panel installation expert.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act expanded and extended the ITC, now called 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 each year until the current program ends. The expansion to the program also makes credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim, starting in 2023.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. To best understand how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you, get in touch with your local Bellevue solar installers.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be provided at the state and local level. As with federal incentives, these may include rebates, tax credits and more. These incentives — which might be given by your county or municipality, or by the state of Wisconsin — might be offered on an ongoing basis, or for only a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Bellevue
The large number of available solar incentives has enormously increased the use of solar power nationwide over the past 15 years. You can get solar incentives from your local utility company, the federal government or the Wisconsin government. Reach out to your local solar panel installation company today to discover more about the various programs and to save as much money as possible on solar panels for your Bellevue home.
EcoWatch's Bellevue, WI Solar Incentives FAQs
What are some of the environmental benefits of switching to solar?
You can lower your carbon footprint by 450 pounds of CO2 a year when you switch to solar panels. This adds up to approximately 9,000 pounds in 20 years. In addition, solar power is a renewable energy source, which means that switching your home over lessens the drain on our planet's resources.
I want to trade in my old appliances for ones that are more energy-efficient. Are there any credits I can get?
Under the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are a number of new financial incentives that are available when you make eco-friendly improvements to your home. More details regarding these incentives, including information about incentives for purchasing new appliances, can be found here.
Can I qualify for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order your incentives will be applied in could vary depending on which incentives you are eligible for but usually yes, you can receive multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Check with your solar installer or a local tax professional to make sure you are claiming all possible incentives and applying them in the correct order.
Can I use a combination of 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 talk through your plan with your local Bellevue solar installer. They can help you as you plan for your project and educate you on the 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.