2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Brown Deer, WI - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Brown Deer.
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 Brown Deer?
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 mitigate the cost of installing solar panels on your home. This category of financial incentives is in place to encourage more Americans to convert their home partially or fully to renewable energy. Solar incentives might include cash back, upfront discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill. Some incentives are provided by the federal government, some by the state of Wisconsin and some by your specific utility company, county or municipality. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions can come in two forms. The first is sales tax exemption, applied when you purchase 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 house.
- Net Metering: Net metering factors in after your solar system is up and running. If you have a net metering agreement with your Brown Deer utility company, it will subtract the value of the excess energy produced by your solar system from your utility bill each month. In some areas, this credit is dollar-for-dollar, while in others you may get refunded a percentage of the value.
- Tax Credits: Unlike tax deductions, tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the government.
- Rebates: Rebates, or partial refunds after a purchase, are usually applied prior to any solar tax credits being calculated. Solar rebates might be given by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
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 Technology
Tesla Energy
- Price-match guarantee
- Sleek, efficient, and durable solar panels
- Best solar battery on the market
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Customer service varies by local dealer
Federal Solar Incentives
When thinking about solar incentives, you likely think of federal incentives first. The solar incentive that you may be most familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which provides a credit on your taxes equal to a percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC initially applied to 30% of the cost of solar system installation, although that number has fluctuated slightly over time between 26-30%. The installation date of your solar system will determine what percentage you qualify for. The total cost of installation includes the panels themselves as well as the cost of accessories, equipment and labor. There is no maximum amount you can claim. The ITC applies to solar panels installed after January 1, 2006, on your primary or secondary residence. The residence must be in the United States and owned by you.
Talking to your local Brown Deer solar panel installation expert is the best way to understand how the ITC could apply to you.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, made some changes to the ITC (as well as renaming it to the Clean Energy Credit). Homeowners are now eligible for a credit of 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. This percentage will then begin to decrease yearly until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. Starting in 2023, the program expansion will also make claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before.
More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Brown Deer solar panel company can answer your questions and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Rebates, tax credits and more can be provided at multiple levels. Along with federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones, too. Incentives might be given by your county or municipality, or by the state of Wisconsin. Certain incentives are available for only a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Brown Deer
You can qualify for solar incentives from the federal government and the Wisconsin government, as well as from your local utility company. The increased availability of solar initiatives over the last 15 years has helped greatly increase nationwide adoption of solar energy. Your local Brown Deer solar panel installer can help you learn more about which incentives you can apply for, and get you feeling good about making the change to renewable energy today.
EcoWatch's Brown Deer, WI Solar Incentives FAQs
How can I find out if I qualify for certain solar incentives?
It's a good idea to talk to your local Brown Deer solar installer for a better understanding of which incentives your project may qualify for. In most cases, solar incentives apply to new solar panel systems installed on property you own (in the U.S.) between the dates specified by the incentive. Some incentives, such as those given by the state of Wisconsin, might have additional requirements.
If I installed solar panels on my house a few years ago, can I still claim incentives?
If your solar system was installed after January 1, 2022, you may qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. If you installed your system between 2006 and 2021, you may qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the date of installation. Speaking with the company that installed your solar system, or any local Brown Deer solar installer, can help you understand what incentives you can apply for.
What are the highest-rated solar panel installation companies near me?
To discover the top solar panel installers near you, take a look at our article on Brown Deer's top solar panel companies.
What are the environmental benefits of switching to solar energy?
You can lower your carbon footprint by 450 pounds of CO2 annually by installing solar panels. This adds up to around 9,000 pounds over 20 years. Solar is also a renewable energy source, meaning that making the switch reduces the drain on our planet's resources.
Can I qualify for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order that incentives will be applied in might vary depending on which incentives you are eligible for but usually yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Talk with your solar installer or a local tax professional to ensure you are claiming all the incentives you're eligible 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.