Do I Qualify For Tax Credits & Incentives?

Solar Tax Credits

The Federal Solar Tax Credit currently covers 30% of the overall cost of your system. You will apply for the credit on your first tax return after installing the solar energy system on your home. Here is the thing; if you don’t pay tax, you will not get a credit. If you normally have to pay money at the end of each year then this credit will offset the amount you would normally pay. You can receive up to the FULL amount of this refund in your first filing. This credit can be used over multiple years so you won’t lose it.

The State Solar Tax Credit currently covers 25% of the overall cost of your system. You will apply for the credit on your first tax return after installing the solar energy system on your home. Like the Federal Solar Tax Credit, if you don’t pay state tax, you will not get a credit.  Unlike the Federal Solar Tax Credit, your South Carolina State Solar Tax Credit is limited to receiving a maximum of $3500 per year OR 50% of your state tax liability. The state will allow the lower of the two to be used.  This credit can be used over multiple years so you won’t lose it.

In order to qualify for these rebates, you must either be paying into the federal and state tax system annually or have a tax liability at the end of each year. A member of the South Carolina Solar team will help you determine how much you can qualify for and how long you can expect to see rebates.

 

Utilities Role in Solar Economics

Unfortunately, not all utilities are solar friendly nor do their policies reflect the intent of the states Net Metering Act. In 2014, South Carolina passed legislation which paved the way for the adoption of solar and other renewable energy for our state. Because of a lawsuit filed by Duke Energy and SCE&G, this policy didn’t take effect until early 2016 when the utilities settled with the state.

To complicate things, there are only two publicly held utilities which are mandated to follow the states Net Metering Act. 98% of all utilities in South Carolina are Cooperatives and are exempt fro this act. In dealing with many of these coop’s, we have experienced about every possible variation and process concerning solar possible.

You contractor should have vast experience in dealing with these utilities because some of their policies affect the economics of solar. Utilities such as Berkeley Electric Coop, Santee Cooper and others had decided to punish solar adoption y charging their ratepayers who switch to solar fees that other ratepayers don’t have to pay. These fees are based on the customers solar system size and these utilities claim its for the overall good of the entire client base.

Net Metering

If your utility offers Net Metering, this is as good as it gets when it comes to solar. Net Metering allows producers to see all excess back to the utility for the same retail rate they pay. At the end of the year, there is a true-up period where you and the utility settle up for and excess or overages.

Net Billing

Net billing is like Net Metering but the true-up period is selected by the utility and any excess energy you have built up is lost and forfeited to the utility. This is the program most Coop’s use with small differences in the true-up period and how the excess is handled. This option is still good for solar

Wholesale Metering

Some utilities including state owner Santee Cooper have taken the stance that they will only pay a producer a fraction of the retail rate for any overages the producer puts back on the grid. This policy on solar requires that the system size and design is such that the producer mostly self consumes all solar generation and uses it for self consumption.

Demand Charge Penalities

A very few utilities have taken the position of penalizing solar adoption by charging solar producers fees to offset their losses in revenue. How this is legal is surprising but somehow this hasn’t been challenged in a South Carolina court so this handful of utilities continues to take what they want even from ratepayers who switch to solar.

Importance of choosing the right Solar Energy Contractor

Helping our clients determine if solar is a fit for them is a process we take very seriously. When it is, deciding to switch to solar is the easiest decision you will every make. Understanding all of the details is what can make this good for you or not so good. You need to make sure you work with a reputable company that has your best interest at heart.

South Carolina Solar’s owner has been in business in South Carolina for the past 20 years. South Carolina Solar is here to stay and its ownership & employees live here, work here and are raising their kids here. We care about our customers and making sure we serve you and your best interests.

 

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Solar Electric

How Solar Works

How solar works is actually pretty simple. On this page, we will explain the process on how solar works and converts the suns light to usable electricity for your home or business.

• Light is collected by solar panels and converted to DC electricity
• Micro Inverters or a single inverter convert DC electricity to AC electricity which is what our appliances use
• Generated electricity passes through to the meter which determines the load and demand of your property
• Energy is sent to your property to satisfy demand and any additional energy is counted and sent to the grid
• Depending on your utility, you are paid up to retail rates for the excess energy sent to the grid

 

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Process

The process to switch is simple but detailed. Having a quality contractor from our state will allow you to move through this process without delays. South Carolina Solar is here to help you every step of the way.

Step 1

Initial Site Visit

Our process starts with an initial visit to your site and informal meeting. We will look at the property to determine the best location for solar installation, to analyze your energy consumption and to see if there are any energy saving measures that can be taken to save you money. With this information gathered, we will complete a solar array design and financial analysis at no cost to you.

Step 2

 

Project Findings & Customer Approvals

This meeting will allow you to see the initial design for your home, cover the financial aspects, potential saving opportunities and answer any of your questions. If its a good fit, your acceptance will start our project timeline.

Step 3

Site Survey

This step allows us to confirm the initial design and to take any necessary pictures and measurements for building plans and engineering.

Step 4

Approvals

We pay for and submit the necessary applications to Home Owners Associations (HOA) and your utility to get the project review process started.

Step 5

Plans & Engineering

Once we have received the necessary approvals, we will draw your building plans and have the plans stamped by our structural engineer. When our plans have been completed, we will drop them for review at the local municipality.

Step 6

Permitting & Installation

Once plans have been approved, we will call you to schedule the first available installation time that works for you.

Step 7

Inspections & Approvals

When our installation is complete, we will request inspections from the local municipality and utility.

 Step 8

System Commissioning & Savings

We will energize your system and you can start to see the savings right away.

 

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