Wisconsin Solar Tax Guide

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Wisconsin solar tax credits and rebates are some of the best in the nation. For homeowners in the state there has never been a better time to start with solar, as there are some incredible incentives and programs to encourage homeowners to go green, add value to their homes, and save money on their utilities:

Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Incentive

View information about the Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Incentive here.  You may download the form from the IRS here.

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Focus on Energy renewable rewards

If you’re installing a solar energy system on your home in Wisconsin, you can qualify for a rebate of up to $500 on the cost of your solar equipment from Focus on Energy.

Solar tax incentives

There are some substantial tax incentives available to Wisconsin homeowners: the sales tax incentive, which exempts you from paying sales tax on your solar equipment, and the property tax incentive, which exempts you from paying property taxes on any additional value solar adds to your home.

Wisconsin net metering

Net metering (also known as net energy metering) is a solar incentive that allows you to store energy in the electric grid. When your solar panels produce excess power, that energy is sent to the grid and in exchange, you can pull from the grid when your system is under-producing like during nighttime.

With the right size solar energy system, you can produce enough electricity to match your home’s electricity use for the entire year. However, the amount of electricity your solar panels produce will vary throughout the year. Net metering helps you account for these differences by crediting you for the excess electricity your panels produce so you can use it later.

Wisconsin is a “Right to Solar” State

Wisconsin solar access rights grant homeowners the right to have unrestricted access to the sun, so when you install solar panels, you can rest assured that your neighbors won’t be able to do anything that obstructs your source of solar energy. Plus, even if you live in an area with a homeowners’ association you still have the ability to add solar to your home!  While some HOAs may strongly encourage against installing solar panels, the Wisconsin Legislature made it clear that all homeowners always have a right to go solar.  [sources: Energy.gov and the Wisconsin State Legislature: Stat. § 236.292]

Federal solar energy tax credit (ITC)

The federal solar tax credit, also known as the investment tax credit (ITC), allows you to deduct 30% of the cost of installing a solar energy system from your federal taxes. The ITC applies to both residential and commercial systems, and there is no cap on its value.