Massachusetts has always been one of the best states for solar. Not only does the Bay State have the high electricity rates that lead to a short payback period for your solar investment – it also has a history of having strong solar incentives for property owners looking to own a solar panel system.
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Should I pre-sell my SRECs?
There are a number of state-specific solar incentives for solar owners to take advantage of, such as tax credits and rebates. One of the most advantageous solar incentives you may be eligible for is solar renewable energy credits (SRECs).
Continue readingCalifornia net metering: everything you need to know about NEM 2.0
Net metering in California is part of what makes the Golden State the undisputed leader for solar in the country. In fact, California saw 26,232 megawatts (MW) of solar installed as of the end of Q3 2019, about five times as much as #2 state North Carolina.
Continue readingSREC prices: explaining how to sell your RECs in the U.S.
If you’ve been researching the best solar energy incentives available, you have likely heard something about solar renewable energy credits (SRECs). SRECs are a tradable commodity that you obtain from owning a solar panel system and producing clean energy. Because of a common state requirement known as the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), many utilities must generate a certain percentage of their energy from renewable sources, typically at least 20 percent. In several states and Washington D.C., the RPS specifies that a certain percentage of the renewable energy produced must come from solar power. States with this type of “solar carve-out” are willing to pay significant amounts of money to take credit for the power generated by solar homeowners.
Continue readingThinking of investing your stimulus check? Consider solar.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began sending out stimulus checks earlier this month, providing much-needed cash to a country hit hard by both the health and economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. If you’re fortunate enough to not need the cash right away, and are weighing your various options for what to do with the check, you may have encountered other articles telling you how you should spend this cash. We’re not going to do that: whether you use the money to buy something special, put it away for a rainy day, donate it to a worthy cause, or convert the check into twelve-hundred dollar bills to turn your room into a snow globe, we won’t judge!
Continue readingSolar rebates 101
There are many different types of solar incentives out there – tax credits, performance-based incentives, and solar renewable energy certificates (SRECs) to name a few. Solar rebates are some of the most common solar incentives, and some of the easiest to understand. While not available in every solar market, those who can take advantage of rebates can significantly lower the upfront cost of going solar.
In this article, we’ll give an overview of solar rebate incentives, provide sources for finding solar rebates in your area, and discuss how to apply for rebates for which you’re eligible.
Continue readingFederal ITC extension: everything you need to know
Homeowners, solar companies, and industry advocates alike were given a big Christmas gift in 2015 when Congress approved the 2016 federal spending bill and extended the solar panel tax credit. The December 18 bill contained a 5-year solar tax credit extension, which makes solar energy more affordable for all Americans. Wondering how this impacts you? EnergySage has the answers.
Continue readingSRECTrade: everything you need to know about the leading SREC aggregator
Solar energy renewable certificates (SRECs) are some of the most attractive solar incentives available in the United States. Many states with renewable portfolio standards (RPS) have special “solar carve-outs” that require a certain amount of energy production to come from solar. These states use SRECs as a way to promote solar installations and compensate system owners for the energy their panels generate.
Continue readingDuke Energy solar rebates: a new solar incentive for North Carolina
Update: Duke Energy has run out of available funds for rebates in 2020. Solar customers can join a waitlist for the rebate.
North Carolina has long been one of the top states for solar thanks to its utility-scale solar farms, but over the past few years, homeowners in the Tar Heel State haven’t seen many financial incentives to go solar. A newly-announced solar rebate from Duke Energy will help property owners in North Carolina save thousands on their up-front solar installation costs.
Continue readingFederal ITC stepdown: comparing savings between 2019 vs. 2020
Because the cost of solar continues to decline, one question we field a lot at EnergySage is whether you should wait to install solar panels. And for anyone asking that question in 2019, the answer is as soon as possible: given the looming step-down and expiration of the federal investment tax credit (ITC), solar shoppers who wait until 2020 or later to move forward will be missing out on major tax savings – but just how much?
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