2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Phenix City, AL - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Phenix City.
You'll learn about:
- Local & State Solar Incentives
- Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2024 and beyond)
- Ways to optimize your solar investment
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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Phenix City?
Local Option- Property Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy Faclities
Alabama Power - Residential Heat Pump Loan Program
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are designed to make renewable energy usage more affordable via financial incentives to help people install solar panels on their homes. You may be eligible for several types of incentives, including cash back, discounts or monthly utility bill credits, depending on your situation. Some incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the state of Alabama and others from the federal government. Some solar incentives you might qualify for are:
- Net Metering: Be sure to speak with your Phenix City 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 generated by your solar panels. You might receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, how much income tax you owe the federal government. Tax credits are different from tax deductions.
- Rebates: Rebates, or cash back after a purchase, are typically given before any solar tax credits are calculated. Rebates may be provided by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions are applied at the time of purchase for your solar system. Property tax exemptions let you ignore the added value of your solar system when calculating how much property tax you need to pay on your house.
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Federal Solar Incentives
Federal incentives are the kind of incentives that you are most likely to have heard of. The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, is probably the most well-known federal solar incentive. The ITC provides you with a tax credit for a specific percentage of the cost of your solar system.
The ITC applies to the value of solar panels installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar panels must have been installed on a property you own after January 1, 2006, for you to be eligible for the credit. Initially, the ITC applied to 30% of all costs (panels, labor, accessories and equipment), although the covered amount has fluctuated slightly over the years between 26-30%. The installation date of your solar system will determine what percentage you are eligible for. There is no cap on the claim amount.
Have questions about how the ITC applies to your specific situation? Reach out to your local Phenix City solar panel installer to get more information.
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, expanded and extended the ITC (as well as retitling it the Clean Energy Credit). The Clean Energy Credit bolsters the current credit, increasing it up to 30% for solar installation projects started after January 1, 2022, and completed by the end of 2032. At this point, the credit percentage will be reduced slightly each year until the program expires in 2035. Starting in 2023, the expansion 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 Phenix City solar panel installation experts can answer your questions and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
There are often also state solar incentives in addition to those provided by the federal government. Rebates, tax credits and more might be available at a more local level. Incentives might be handled by the state of Alabama, or by your county or municipality. Certain incentives are available for only a limited time, while others are ongoing.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Phenix City
Nationwide solar energy use has gone up significantly in the past 15 years, in part due to the growth in the number of solar incentives. You may get these incentives from your local utility company, the Alabama government or the federal government. Reach out to your local solar panel installation expert today to discover more about the various programs and to save as much money as possible on solar panels for your Phenix City home.
EcoWatch's Phenix City, AL Solar Incentives FAQs
How do I know if I qualify for certain solar incentives?
It's best to speak with your local Phenix City solar installer to get an understanding of which incentives your project will qualify for. In most cases, solar incentives apply to new solar systems installed on a property you own (in the U.S.) within a specified date range. Some incentives, like those given by the state of Alabama, may have additional requirements.
If I already have solar panels, 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 year it was installed. Reaching out to the company that installed your solar system, or any local Phenix City solar installer, can help you understand what incentives you can apply for.
What are the top solar panel installation companies near me?
To discover the top solar panel installation companies near you, take a look at our article on Phenix City's top solar panel companies.
Can I receive incentives both towards the initial cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?
The order your incentives will be applied in could vary depending on which incentives you are claiming but generally yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Get in touch 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.
Can I use 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. Be sure to go over your plan with your local Phenix City solar installation expert. They can help you with the 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.