2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Huntsville, TX - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Huntsville.
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 Huntsville?
Renewable Energy Systems Property Tax Exemption
Texas Gas Service - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Home Improvement (includes attic insulation, duct sealing, duct insulation, duct replacement, high-efficiency gas furnace, and Wi-Fi thermostat: Up to $1000
Solar Water Heater With Natural Gas Backup: $750
Tankless or Super High-efficiency Water Heater: $650
Furnace: $675
Furnace Tune-Up: $40
Natural Gas Dryer with moisture sensor: $225
Natural Gas Dryer Stub: $300
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are designed to mitigate the cost of installing a solar panel system on your home. This category of financial incentives is in place to encourage more homeowners to make the switch to renewable energy. You might qualify for different types of incentives, such as cash back, discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill, depending on your situation. Some incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the state of Texas and others from the federal government. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:
- Tax Exemptions: Your solar system could qualify for exemptions on both sales and property tax. Sales tax exemptions come into effect at the time of purchase. Property tax exemptions let you exclude the value added by your solar panels when calculating property taxes on your home.
- Net Metering: You can sign a net metering agreement with your Huntsville utility company. This agreement may apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity that is generated by your solar panels. They will then subtract this value from your monthly utility bill.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions (not deductions) in the amount of tax that you owe the federal government.
- Rebates: A rebate is a partial refund credited to your account after you've paid for your solar system. Rebates may be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The discount that rebates offer is normally applied to the price of solar panels before calculating tax credits.
Best Solar Financing
Blue Raven Solar
- Industry-leading in-house financing
- Competitive pricing
- Excellent reputation
- Doesn't offer solar batteries
Best Regional Coverage
Momentum Solar
- Great warranty coverage
- Representatives are experts on local policies
- Concierge service ensures steady communication
- Slightly limited service offerings
Best for Leasing
Sunrun
- Expansive service area
- Many financing options
- Some reported issues with customer service
- Some reported issues with door-to-door sales
Federal Solar Incentives
When thinking about solar incentives, federal incentives are likely the first thing that comes to mind. The solar incentive that you may be most familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which gives you a credit on your taxes equal to a percentage of your solar system's cost.
The ITC is applied to the total cost of solar panel installation, including the panels themselves as well as equipment, labor and accessories. This credit can be claimed for panels installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence that you own and that is located in the United States. Originally set at 30% of total costs, the credit has fluctuated over time, and you may qualify for different amounts depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
Your local Huntsville solar panel installation expert can provide you with more information about the ITC and how it applies to your situation.
In August 2022, the ITC (now titled the Clean Energy Credit) was bolstered by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. The new Clean Energy Credit extends until 2035. American homeowners can now receive a 30% credit for solar systems that began installation on or after January 1, 2022, and will be done by December 31, 2032. This credit will then be decreased by a few percentage points every year until its expiration. 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. The best way to understand how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you is to talk with your local Huntsville solar panel installation expert.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also provided at the state and local level. As with federal incentives, these could include rebates, tax credits and more. Incentives might be handled by your county or municipality, or by the state of Texas. Certain incentives may be available for only a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Huntsville
The variety of solar incentives available has enormously increased the use of solar power nationwide over the last 15 years. You may receive solar incentives from your local utility company, the Texas government or the federal government. If you're ready to make the change to solar energy, getting in touch with your local Huntsville solar panel installation expert is a great first step.
EcoWatch's Huntsville, TX Solar Incentives FAQs
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 had your system installed between 2006 and 2021, you might qualify for a tax credit between 26% and 30%, depending on the date of installation. Talking to the company that installed your system, or any local Huntsville solar installer, can help you understand what incentives you might want to apply for.
How much can I save on my electric bill annually if I add solar panels to my house in Huntsville?
On average, homeowners in Huntsville who install solar panels save around $1,013.88 per year, or around $19,263.72 over 20 years after making the switch.
What are some environmental benefits of adding solar panels to my house?
You can reduce your carbon footprint by 400 pounds of CO2 a year by switching to solar panels. This adds up to approximately 8,000 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.
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. Be sure to talk through your plan with your local Huntsville solar installer. They can help you as you plan for your project and give you an understanding of various incentives that you will or won't 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.