Idaho Solar Incentives

Idaho Solar incentives make it very affordable for people to go solar. Idaho law requires electricity providers to buy back every watt of solar power a customer produces at the retail cost of electricity. This means that going solar in Idaho can be cheaper than continuing to pay for your electricity from a utility provider.

If you pay a lot to the utility company, this will likely mean a return on investment for you before the solar incentive runs out. If you generate enough power with your solar-electric system, you may even be paid for any extra electricity your home or business is not using.

Why go solar in Idaho?

Going solar may be worthwhile in Idaho because of incentives, plus the fact that electricity can be expensive. Even if incentives do not cover all of your expenses, the money you save on energy bills will make the loan or investment in a solar-electricity system worthwhile.

Idaho is a great state to invest in solar energy. Idaho is a great state to invest in solar because electricity can be very expensive in the state. In 2012, the average cost of electricity was $0.17 per kilowatt-hour according to the Department of Energy (DOE).

Idaho Tax Incentives

Among the solar incentives in Idaho, one that you can't pass up is the solar investment tax credit(ITC) for residential and commercial solar systems. The ITC will pay for up to 30 percent of the cost of your system up to 10 percent of the cost.

The way it works is that you pay the solar system installers. The money you pay them will be tax-free and can be applied to your solar system's cost. If you use federal tax credits, you might be able to save even more money on your system.

No matter how much money you pay for the installer, 100 percent of the cost will be tax-free if the solar system was installed through a qualified installer from Idaho. This means that you can save a lot of money on taxes and energy bills by going solar in Idaho.

Utility Incentives

In addition to a tax incentive, there are utility incentives. Under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has stated that each utility company must offer to buy power from any customer who generates their own solar energy. The utility company can charge customers a retail rate for using their system.

The benefits of going solar at home or a business can be huge. The benefits of going solar with your utility company begin with the fact that you are protected from rising rates. A fixed-rate utility plan is less likely to change than an unregulated rate.

Net metering

Net metering is another way to save money with a solar system. If your utility company is net-metering, then the meter is automatically adjusted to match the amount of power you are using, and they will pay you for any unused power at a periodic rate.

Net metering works by staying connected to the grid and getting paid for the amount of power you use. Your inverter is placed on the line at your home or business and works very similar to a CFL (compact fluorescent light) light bulb.

In Idaho, net metering is the most popular way consumers get paid for solar power. You can earn money on your energy usage even if you are not using it. Most electric companies in Idaho offer net metering.

Idaho solar rebates

There is a federal solar rebate available from the Solar Energy Industries Association. This does not require you to engage in a loan or pay for installation, but it can help you make up for costs that are not covered by tax incentives.

A solar rebate is a cash grant to cover a portion of the cost of purchasing solar panels or installation for your home or business. The rebate will vary but is usually worth up to 25 percent of the cost of a solar system.

In Idaho, you can get a solar rebate to help offset the cost of solar panels. This means that in addition to the tax incentives, Idaho solar rebates can make going solar a good deal.

Idaho's no-cost solar program

You may be eligible for a so-called "no-cost solar" program. These programs provide a solar system for free or at a very low cost. It works because the government pays for installation, and then you give the money back to them.

Whether or not a no-cost solar program will pay off depends on how much you would have paid in energy bills without it. This program is available to Idaho residents and can pay for the entire installation, which means your energy bills will be reduced or eliminated entirely.

Federal incentives

If you want to save money on solar, there are federal incentives that are also available to Idaho residents. The federal government offers a 30 percent tax credit for people who install solar panels. Some states offer even more generous incentives than the federal government does.

The only way to get the federal tax credit is to buy solar panels and have them installed. Most solar installation companies will handle all of the paperwork and take care of any wirings associated with the process, which will make your life easier.

Solar companies rebates in Idaho

There are many ways to get money back when it comes to going solar with a solar company. Sometimes these rebates are called incentives. Solar companies in Idaho offer money back for the cost of your system, which is usually paid for with your loan or tax rebate.

Smart Energy USA is one example of an Idaho solar company that provides rebates. They have a list of rebates that covers the cost of a full solar system, which means you will have nothing to pay out of pocket when it comes to purchasing solar panels.

Financing solar panels in Idaho

You can take out a loan for your solar panels, or you can go with a solar lease. A loan will require that you pay for your system over time. This could be paid off in 15 or 20 years, or it could be paid off in 10 or 20 years.

A solar lease is the same thing as a loan, except you are paying a monthly fee instead of making payments on your loan. The solar system is owned by the installer, and they pay for maintenance while you pay for the energy produced by your system.

Want to know how much can you save?

Get a free quote with Smart Energy USA if you would like to know how much you can save with a solar system. You can get information about how much of a rebate you are eligible for and how the process works.