2024 Solar Incentives Guide for Waltham, MA - Tax Credits & Rebates
In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Waltham.
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 Waltham?
Renewable Energy Property Tax Exemption
Wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, solar thermal, solar PV, and other solar energy systems: the assessed value of the system
Residential Renewable Energy Income Tax Credit
Renewable Energy Equipment Sales Tax Exemption
Alternative Energy and Energy Conservation Patent Income Tax Deduction (Personal)
Cape Light Compact- Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Refrigerator and Freezer Recycling: $125
Electric Clothes Dryers: $50
Clothes Washer: $350
Dehumidifiers: $30
Room Air Purifiers: $40
Room Air Conditioner: $40
Heating & Cooling
Oil Heating System: Up to $800
Propane Heating Equipment: Up to $2,300
Oil Water Heater: Up to $400
Propane Water Heater: Up to $800
Heat Pump Water Heater: Up to $600
Central AC/Heat Pump: Up to $250/ton
Mini-Split Heat Pump: Up to $250/ton
Programmable Thermostats: Up to $25
WiFi Thermostat: Up to $100
Solar Domestic Hot Water heater: $500 - $1,500
Home Electronics
Advanced Power Strips: Varies
Home Insulation
Limited Time Enhanced Incentive: 75%
Year-Round Tenant Incentive: 100%
Enhanced Residential Program: 100%
Lighting
LEDs: Varies
Home Energy Assessment: Free
Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) Program
Mass Solar Loan Program
Residential and Small-Scale Ground-Source Heat Pump Rebate Program
Retrofit Existing GSHP Rebate: varies with installation costs
Commonwealth Woodstove Change-Out Program
Pellet Stove: $1,000 - $1,750
Catalytic Woodstove: $750 - $1,250
Non-Catalytic Woodstove: $500-$1,250
Fully Automated Wood Stove: $1,500 - $1,750
Low-Income Residential:
Pellet Stove: $2,500 - $3,250
Catalytic Woodstove: $2,250 - $2,750
Non-Catalytic Woodstove: $2,000-$2,750
Fully Automated Wood Stove: $2,750 - $3,250
Local Option - Energy Revolving Loan Fund
Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SREC-II)
Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/
Solar incentives are meant to help mitigate the cost of installing a solar panel system on your home. Financial incentives like these are in place to encourage more people to make the switch to renewable energy. Different types of incentives, including cash back, discounts or credit towards your monthly utility bill, may be available to you. Some incentives may be offered by the state of Massachusetts, by your utility company or by county or municipality, while others are federal. You might qualify for any of the following types of solar incentives:
- Net Metering: Be sure to talk to your Waltham utility company about signing a net metering agreement. This allows you to receive 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 are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the federal government. (This is different from a tax deduction.)
- Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and similar other performance-based incentives might be available to you if you have a solar system that produces over a specified (usually small) amount of electricity. Performance-based incentives are usually handled by the state government. You can sell SRECs to your utility company or other buyers, and the money you make is usually considered part of your taxable income.
- Tax Exemptions: Sales tax exemptions are effective at the time of purchase for your solar panels. Property tax exemptions allow you to ignore the value that your solar panels add when calculating how much property tax you need to pay.
- Rebates: Rebates, or partial refunds after a purchase, are normally applied prior to any solar tax credits being calculated. Rebates might be provided by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
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
Federal solar incentives are likely to be the first thing that you think of when you think about solar incentives. You may have heard of the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, or ITC. This is a tax credit that reduces your taxes by a predetermined percentage of the money you spend installing solar panels.
The ITC can be applied to solar systems installed after January 1, 2006, and lets you deduct from your taxes a percentage of the total cost of solar panels, equipment, labor and accessories. This credit can apply towards a solar panel system installed on a primary or secondary residence in the United States that you own. The original claim amount was 30% of the total cost, although depending on when the project was completed, your credit may range from 26-30%. There is no maximum amount you can claim.
Reaching out to your local Waltham solar panel installer is the best way to learn more about how the ITC may apply to you.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act expanded and extended the ITC, now dubbed the Clean Energy Credit. The new Clean Energy Credit is valid until 2035. Homeowners can now apply for a 30% credit for solar systems installed between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2032. This credit will then be decreased by a few percentage points every year until the date of expiration. The expansion 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. Your local Waltham solar panel installer can answer any questions you have and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit applies to you.
State & Local Solar Incentives
Some solar incentives are often also offered at the local or state level. Similar to federal incentives, these can include rebates, tax credits and more. These incentives may be handled by your county or municipality, or by the Massachusetts government. Certain incentives are ongoing, while others are available for a limited time.
Next Steps for Installing Solar in Waltham
The variety of available solar incentives has helped tremendously increase the adoption of solar energy nationwide over the past 15 years. You can get solar incentives from the Massachusetts government, the federal government or your local utility company. Your local Waltham solar panel installation expert can help you learn more about which incentives you may qualify for, and get you feeling good about making the change to renewable energy today.
EcoWatch's Waltham, MA Solar Incentives FAQs
What are some environmental benefits of adding solar panels to my home?
You can lower your carbon footprint by 200 pounds of CO2 annually when you switch to solar panels. This adds up to roughly 4,000 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.
How long until the federal solar tax credit ends?
The federal solar tax credit, formerly known as the ITC and now named the Clean Energy Credit, is set to end on January 1, 2035. The current 30% credit will end in 2032, replaced by a 26% credit in 2033 and a 22% credit in 2034.
If I switch my appliances out for ones that utilize solar energy, are there incentives that I can claim?
The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act includes provisions for multiple incentives meant to reward homeowners who make eco-friendly upgrades. Some incentives include rebates and tax credits for installing new electric appliances. You can find more details about these incentives 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 may vary depending on which incentives you receive but usually yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Speak to your solar installer or a local tax professional to verify 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.