The federal tax credit for energy efficiency improvements has been raised to 30% and if you qualify for additional state and local incentives, you could save almost 50% on the cost of your new system. But these savings are unprecedented and may not last long.

Browse more solar incentives below. To see which of these apply to you and your area, try our solar estimator.

Tax Credits

Specific federal, regional and state tax laws permit homeowners to credit the purchase price of their solar power systems against their annual tax bill.

The state of California allows a property tax exclusion for solar systems—100% of the system’s value. The city of Costa Mesa and the counties of Marin, San Bernardino, San Diego and Santa Monica offer incentives for new constructions with solar systems.

Solar Rebates

Regional utilities may offer solar rebate payments to homeowners based on the size of the solar power system.

In California, two are offered at the state level: California Solar Incentive and the CEC, which is specific to new homes. Marin County and San Francisco also offer additional rebates.

Net Metering

Regional utilities may offer a credit on a homeowner’s bill for excess solar electricity provided to the utility but not used by the home.

For more information about specific regions, see the comprehensive source of information on state, local and federal incentives that promote renewable energy.