Ohio Solar Incentives

It’s going to be a busy year for solar and our installation schedule is filling up faster than usual this year! We are already scheduling installations for the spring 2019. Why the rush? Because 2019 is the final year to get the full 30% federal tax credit before it drops.

What is the 30% Federal Tax Credit?

Otherwise known as the Investment Tax Credit, the Solar Tax Credit allows you to deduct 30% of the cost of your solar system from your federal taxes.

Put simply: if you spend $20,000 on your solar system, you pay $6,000 less in taxes when you file. The tax credit is different than a refund in that, you do have to owe taxes to claim the credit. If the credit is larger than your tax liability in the first year, the remaining amount can be applied the next year. Generally, all expenses included in the quote you receive from your Solar Consultant can be included in the deduction. There is no cap on the value of the credit, and it is available to both residential and commercial customers. Every tax situation is different, however. While we at Third Sun Solar are experts on all things solar, we do not provide tax advice and encourage you to consult with your accountant.

How long will the federal tax credit stay in effect?

The solar tax credit will remain at 30% for solar systems completed and placed in service before December 31, 2019. The tax credit will be reduced to 26% in 2021 and then to 22% in 2022. After 2022, there will be no solar tax credit for residential customers but a 10% credit for commercial entities will remain

Other reasons to go solar in 2019:

• Third Sun Solar is now offering ZERO DOWN financing! These solar friendly low interest loan options are easy to understand and are available to most customers depending on credit
• Electricity prices continue to rise and are never paid off. While solar prices are at an all-time low, energy prices are expected to maintain their annual tick upward, forever…
• If you live in a metropolitan area in Ohio: Dayton, Cincinatti, Cleveland, Columbus you may be eligible for the Energy Conservation for Ohioans, or ECOLink program. ECOLink provides up to a 3% interest rate reduction for up to seven years on bank loans when you complete energy efficient upgrades to your home.

Why wait?

Homeowners are realizing the return on investment will increase when you go solar before 2020. There has never been a better time to go solar in Ohio. Since the initiation of the Investment Tax Credit, the cost of solar as dropped as solar technology and the efficiency of our installation team has improved. The cost of waiting is not worth the cost of losing out on the 30% tax incentive.

Why Third Sun Solar?

• 19 Years of experience designing and installing solar in Ohio
• Over 900 clean energy installations under our belt
• Licensed electrical and general contractor
• AMICUS Partner
• Certified B-Corp
• Woman Owned Small Business

Our schedule is filling up quickly. We urge you to make the most of the final months left to receive the full 30% federal tax incentive.

Learn how easy it is to go solar by submitting a form here, or by calling 877-Own-Solar to speak with one of our qualified solar consultants today.

Ohio Solar Incentives

It’s going to be a busy year for solar and our installation schedule is filling up faster than usual this year! We are already scheduling installations for the spring 2019. Why the rush? Because 2019 is the final year to get the full 30% federal tax credit before it drops.

What is the 30% Federal Tax Credit?

Otherwise known as the Investment Tax Credit, the Solar Tax Credit allows you to deduct 30% of the cost of your solar system from your federal taxes.

Put simply: if you spend $20,000 on your solar system, you pay $6,000 less in taxes when you file. The tax credit is different than a refund in that, you do have to owe taxes to claim the credit. If the credit is larger than your tax liability in the first year, the remaining amount can be applied the next year. Generally, all expenses included in the quote you receive from your Solar Consultant can be included in the deduction. There is no cap on the value of the credit, and it is available to both residential and commercial customers. Every tax situation is different, however. While we at Third Sun Solar are experts on all things solar, we do not provide tax advice and encourage you to consult with your accountant.

How long will the federal tax credit stay in effect?

The solar tax credit will remain at 30% for solar systems completed and placed in service before December 31, 2019. The tax credit will be reduced to 26% in 2021 and then to 22% in 2022. After 2022, there will be no solar tax credit for residential customers but a 10% credit for commercial entities will remain

Other reasons to go solar in 2019:

• Third Sun Solar is now offering ZERO DOWN financing! These solar friendly low interest loan options are easy to understand and are available to most customers depending on credit
• Electricity prices continue to rise and are never paid off. While solar prices are at an all-time low, energy prices are expected to maintain their annual tick upward, forever…
• If you live in a metropolitan area in Ohio: Dayton, Cincinatti, Cleveland, Columbus you may be eligible for the Energy Conservation for Ohioans, or ECOLink program. ECOLink provides up to a 3% interest rate reduction for up to seven years on bank loans when you complete energy efficient upgrades to your home.

Why wait?

Homeowners are realizing the return on investment will increase when you go solar before 2020. There has never been a better time to go solar in Ohio. Since the initiation of the Investment Tax Credit, the cost of solar as dropped as solar technology and the efficiency of our installation team has improved. The cost of waiting is not worth the cost of losing out on the 30% tax incentive.

Why Third Sun Solar?

• 19 Years of experience designing and installing solar in Ohio
• Over 900 clean energy installations under our belt
• Licensed electrical and general contractor
• AMICUS Partner
• Certified B-Corp
• Woman Owned Small Business

Our schedule is filling up quickly. We urge you to make the most of the final months left to receive the full 30% federal tax incentive.

Learn how easy it is to go solar by submitting a form here, or by calling 877-Own-Solar to speak with one of our qualified solar consultants today.

If you’re considering going solar, you might be wondering if cold and snowy midwestern winters should affect your decision. This is one of the most asked questions we get. Third Sun Solar has 19 years of experience installing systems on all types of buildings across Ohio. To date, our portfolio includes nearly 900 installations in the mid-west. These folks didn’t let our cold winters or snowfall discourage them from going solar, and you shouldn’t either!

Can my solar panels produce energy if they are covered in snow? No, a solid covering of snow all but shuts off production. The good news is that overall production loss from the snow is very small when looking at performance on an annual basis. Losing a day of production in January is a fraction of a day in July. Here at Third Sun Solar, our team takes winter’s shorter days, snowfall and the orientation of sunlight all into account when estimating the output of your system.

Residential Solar System Covered in Snow

Depending on the tilt of your roof and the slant of your panels, snow will typically slide off on its own. Even in the heart of winter solar panels give off a small amount of heat, which helps to warm and melt the snow. Additionally, snow on the ground can reflect light, amplifying the sunlight absorbed by your solar panels. During sunny winter days, the sun will warm the dark solar panels and the snow will melt and snow will typically slide off the smooth surface. An added bonus? Cleaning the panels won’t be necessary, snow can get this job done easily!

Are cold temperatures bad for my solar panels? Unless covered in snow, solar panels are actually more efficient in cold conditions. Like most electronics, solar panels function better at colder temperatures than under intense heat. Most arrays hit their highest power generation of the year on cold clear winter days at noon.

Should I try to clear the snow off my solar panels? Snow will usually melt quickly off your panels. There is the occasional blizzard, however, that leaves snow lingering on rooftops for an extended period of time. Overall, yearly production loss from snow cover is very small. At Third Sun, we do not recommend trying to clear the solar panels. Getting onto a roof in inclement weather is dangerous and using any type of tool on the panels themselves can damage the panels. Snow falling off of the panels can be a nuisance, and if the lower edge of a roof mounted array is close to the edge of the roof, we will recommend “Snow Guards” over doorways or areas with pedestrian activity.

Remember that, living in the Midwest, the worst of the winter months and the short days only last for about three months. Time with reduced solar output is limited. In the sunny summer months, your system can generate more solar energy than you use, which will be reflected in a surplus energy credit. At the end of the year, our customers are happy with their overall annual production.

Now that you know this, consider…

2019 is the final year to get the full 30% federal tax credit before it drops. Ohio homeowners are realizing the savings and the return on investment will increase when you go solar before the end of 2019. 

If you would like a quote for your home, business, or non-profit please sign up for a free solar estimate or call 877-OWN-SOLAR today.