2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Rancho Santa Margarita.
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 Rancho Santa Margarita?
Property Tax Exclusion for Solar Energy Systems and Solar Plus Storage System
Western Riverside Council of Governments - Home Energy Renovation Opportunity (HERO) Financing Program
Minimum financing: $5,000
The financing may not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the market value of the property, up to the first seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) of the property’s market value, and ten percent (10%) of the remaining value of the Property above seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) minus any PACE assessment on the propertyThe total amount of any annual property taxes and assessments shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the property's fair market value, determined at the time program financing is approved.
Local Option - Municipal Energy Districts
Self-Generation Incentive Program
Incentives will step down over time. See below for incentive amounts.
Renewable Market Adjusting Tariff (ReMAT)
LADWP - Feed-in Tariff (FiT) Program
Base price will step down over time as certain MW goals are met
California Solar Initiative - Solar Thermal Program
Single Family Residential Incentives:
Systems that displace natural gas: $29.85 per estimated therm displaced
Systems that displace electricity or propane: Funding has been exhausted
Commercial/Multifamily Incentives:
Systems that displace natural gas: $20.19 per estimated therm displaced
Systems that displace electricity or propane: $0.42 per estimated kWh displaced *** Note, funding has been exhausted in this category for SCE and PG&E
Solar Pool heating: $5.00 per estimated therm displaced
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
The phrase "solar incentives" refers to a wide range of financial incentives designed to make installing and using solar panels more affordable. This is done to encourage people to switch to renewable energy. Incentives may include things like discounts, cash back or credit on your utility bill each month. Some incentives are offered by the federal government, while others are provided by the California government or by your specific utility company, county or municipality. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Net Metering: Be sure to talk with your Rancho Santa Margarita utility company about signing a net metering agreement. This allows you to get a credit towards your monthly utility bill for the value of excess energy your solar panels generate. You could receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
- Tax Exemptions: These may come in the form of property tax exemptions, which can let you ignore the value added by your solar panels when paying property tax on your home. You may also qualify for an exemption on sales tax at the time of purchase.
- Rebates: A solar rebate is a partial refund given after you've purchased your solar panels. These could be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The rebates are usually applied before calculating tax credits.
- Tax Credits: Tax credits decrease, dollar-for-dollar, how much income tax you owe the government. These differ from tax deductions.
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): In general, solar systems that produce more than a predetermined (usually small) amount of electricity can qualify for SRECs or other similar performance-based incentives. SRECs and performance-based incentives in general are typically given by your state government. You can sell SRECs to your utility company or another buyer, and this is usually considered part of your taxable income.
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
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
When someone says "solar incentives," you probably think of federal incentives first. The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC, is likely 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 solar panels installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar system has to have been installed after January 1, 2006, on a property you own for you to claim the credit. The ITC originally paid out 30% of all system installation costs (panels, accessories, labor and equipment), although the total amount has fluctuated over the last few 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.
To more fully understand how the ITC will apply to your situation, speak to your local Rancho Santa Margarita solar panel installer and ask for more information.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act made revisions to the ITC, now titled the Clean Energy Credit. Homeowners can now qualify for a credit equal to 30% of the total solar system installation costs for projects started after January 1, 2022, and completed before the end of 2032. The percentage will then decrease yearly until the Clean Energy Credit ends in 2035. Starting in 2023, the expansion to the program will also make credits for energy storage systems even easier to claim.
Click here to learn more about the new Inflation Reduction Act. The easiest way to learn more about how the new Clean Energy Credit might apply to you is to speak with your local Rancho Santa Margarita solar panel installers directly.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives may be offered at the local or state level. As with federal incentives, these could include tax credits, rebates and more. Some incentives are ongoing, while others are only available for a limited time. Solar incentives may be given by your county or municipality, or by the California government.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Rancho Santa Margarita
Solar incentives might be offered by your local utility company, the federal government or the California government. The variety of solar incentives available has helped nationwide use of solar energy increase greatly in the last 15 years. Your local Rancho Santa Margarita solar panel installation company can provide you with more details about which incentives you may qualify for, and get you feeling good about making the change to renewable energy today.
EcoWatch's Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Solar Incentives FAQs
If I already have solar panels, can I still claim incentives?
You should plan to talk to a representative from the company that installed your solar system – or call a local Rancho Santa Margarita solar installer — to better understand which incentives you might qualify for. If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the recently increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.
How much will a solar system save me on my electric bill in Rancho Santa Margarita annually?
After adding solar panels to your home in Rancho Santa Margarita, you can anticipate savings of approximately $1,428.42 per year, or around $27,140.04 over 20 years.
What are the environmental benefits of switching to solar?
You can lower your carbon footprint by 250 pounds of CO2 a year when you switch to solar panels. This adds up to roughly 5,000 pounds over 20 years. In addition, solar power is a renewable energy source, which means that making the switch reduces the drain on our planet's resources.
If I switch my appliances out for ones that use solar energy, are there any credits that I can claim?
With the passage of the new Inflation Reduction Act, there are a variety 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 claim incentives for adding solar panels to a vacation home, rental property or commercial property?
Many solar incentives are intended to apply to a property you own that is located within the United States; 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 better understand what incentives apply to your specific situation.
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.