Incentives & Rebates
Solar incentives, tax credits and rebates — what you can claim and how.
Incentives can swing the economics of a solar system by thousands of dollars — which is exactly why they're so often misrepresented. Between the federal tax credit, state and utility programs, and the fine print on who actually qualifies, it's easy to either miss money you're owed or count on money you'll never see.
This hub keeps the incentive picture straight, independently and without a system to sell. The aim is that you know what you can realistically claim before a quote builds it in for you.
What you can claim
The federal residential clean-energy credit is the big one for most homeowners, but it interacts with ownership (you generally must own the system, not lease it), your tax situation, and any local rebates stacked on top. Our guide to solar panel incentives and tax credits lays out what qualifies, how the credit is applied, and the common ways people lose it.
Don't let incentives drive the decision
A credit only helps if the underlying system makes sense; chasing a deadline into an oversized or overpriced install is a classic mistake. Treat incentives as a discount on a purchase you'd make anyway, confirm your own eligibility rather than the salesperson's, and check the figures against your tax liability. Read this before a quote leans on a credit you might not fully capture.