The residential solar market continues to grow as more homeowners see the value of installing solar. The sun delivers more energy to Earth in one hour than we use in an entire year. Solar panels harness that power into usable energy for your home at a lower cost than your local utility company. Your friends and neighbors install home solar because it makes sense in both the short and long term. Why wouldn’t you make the switch when:

  • Solar is a sustainable energy source, offsetting the environmental effects of fossil fuels and other pollutants.
  • Homeowners who purchase solar in NY see their homes increase in value by an average of 5.4% during resale.
  • Solar Tax Incentives that are available may cover up to 80% of the installation cost.

Solar Incentives Make the Switch Easy

Did you know that you can install residential solar in New York with no upfront cost and save thousands of dollars a year thanks to the incentives that are available? However, this won’t last forever. New York State’s Public Service Commission has already put a Value on Distributed Energy Resources (VDER, a Time of Use rate) in place as the replacement for net-metering for new solar customers in 2020, and the Federal Investment Credit is set to decrease year by year unless action is taken by federal lawmakers. Now is the time to install solar and help your wallet, your home, and your planet!

Residential solar and commercial solar have different incentive structures, and even homeowners in different areas can expect to see different incentives:

New York City:

  • NYSERDA Cash Grant: $0.20 per Watt
    • NY-Sun, a program by NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority), has several programs in place to make solar more affordable for NYS and NYC residents. NY-Sun works with NYSERDA approved contractors and developers like us to offset costs associated with going solar. Solar systems in the ConEdison utility area are eligible for a cash grant that reduces the installation cost.
    • The Affordable Solar program provides a second rebate for homeowners with a household income of less than 80% of the area’s average.
  • Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC): 26% of the cost to install solar
    • In December 2020, Congress passed an extension of the ITC, which provides a 26% tax credit for systems installed in 2020-2022, and 22% for systems installed in 2023. (Systems installed before December 31, 2019 were eligible for a 30% tax credit.) The tax credit expires starting in 2024 unless Congress renews it.
  • NYS Income Tax Credit (ITC): 25% of the solar’s cost to the customer up to $5,000
    • In addition to the Federal ITC, NYS allows homeowners to write off 25% of the cost of solar from their income taxes with a limit of up to $5,000 per person.
    • Unlike the Federal ITC, the NYS incentive is structured so that homeowner’s can write off the cost of solar as-a-service and lease agreements.
  • NYC Property Tax Abatement (PTA): 20% of the cost to install solar
    • New York City also provides a property tax abatement for all Class 1, 2, and 4 properties (referring to 1-3 family homes, rental buildings, condos, co-ops, and commercial buildings) that use solar energy. This abatement is based on the date solar service starts. Currently, the abatement covers 5% of installation cost, $62,500, or an amount equal to your Annual Property Taxes, whichever number is lowest. The abatement lasts for four years, starting on the July 1st following approval from the DOB. This program has recently been extended through January 1st, 2024.

Nassau and Suffolk Counties:

  • Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC): 26% of the cost to install solar
    • In December 2020, Congress passed an extension of the ITC, which provides a 26% tax credit for systems installed in 2020-2022, and 22% for systems installed in 2023. (Systems installed before December 31, 2019 were eligible for a 30% tax credit.) The tax credit expires starting in 2024 unless Congress renews it.
  • NYS Income Tax Credit (ITC): 25% of the solar’s cost to the customer up to $5,000
    • In addition to the Federal ITC, NYS allows homeowners to write off 25% of the cost of solar from their income taxes with a limit of up to $5,000 per person.
    • Unlike the Federal ITC, the NYS incentive is structured so that homeowner’s can write off the cost of solar as-a-service and lease agreements.

Westchester County:

  • NYSERDA Cash Grant: $0.20 per Watt
    • NY-Sun, a program by NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority), has several programs in place to make solar more affordable for NYS residents. NY-Sun works with NYSERDA approved contractors and developers like us to offset costs associated with going solar. Solar systems in the ConEdison utility area are eligible for a cash grant that reduces the installation cost.
    • The Affordable Solar program provides a second rebate for homeowners with a household income of less than 80% of the area’s average.
  • Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC): 26% of the cost to install solar
    • In December 2020, Congress passed an extension of the ITC, which provides a 26% tax credit for systems installed in 2020-2022, and 22% for systems installed in 2023. (Systems installed before December 31, 2019 were eligible for a 30% tax credit.) The tax credit expires starting in 2024 unless Congress renews it.
  • NYS Income Tax Credit (ITC): 25% of the solar’s cost to the customer up to $5,000
    • In addition to the Federal ITC, NYS allows homeowners to write off 25% of the cost of solar from their income taxes with a limit of up to $5,000 per person.
    • Unlike the Federal ITC, the NYS incentive is structured so that homeowner’s can write off the cost of solar as-a-service and lease agreements.

Orange, Rockland and Putnam Counties:

  • NYSERDA Cash Grant: $0.50 per Watt
    • NY-Sun, a program by NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority), has several programs in place to make solar more affordable for NYS residents. NY-Sun works with NYSERDA approved contractors and developers like us to offset costs associated with going solar. Solar systems in the ConEdison utility area are eligible for a cash grant that reduces the installation cost.
    • The Affordable Solar program provides a second rebate for homeowners with a household income of less than 80% of the area’s average.
  • Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC): 26% of the cost to install solar
    • In December 2020, Congress passed an extension of the ITC, which provides a 26% tax credit for systems installed in 2020-2022, and 22% for systems installed in 2023. (Systems installed before December 31, 2019 were eligible for a 30% tax credit.) The tax credit expires starting in 2024 unless Congress renews it.
  • NYS Income Tax Credit (ITC): 25% of the solar’s cost to the customer up to $5,000
    • In addition to the Federal ITC, NYS allows homeowners to write off 25% of the cost of solar from their income taxes with a limit of up to $5,000 per person.
    • Unlike the Federal ITC, the NYS incentive is structured so that homeowner’s can write off the cost of solar as-a-service and lease agreements.

New Jersey:

  • Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC): 26% of the cost to install solar
    • In December 2020, Congress passed an extension of the ITC, which provides a 26% tax credit for systems installed in 2020-2022, and 22% for systems installed in 2023. (Systems installed before December 31, 2019 were eligible for a 30% tax credit.) The tax credit expires starting in 2024 unless Congress renews it.
  • Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECS): 15 years of generation
    • Solar systems in the state of NJ are authorized by the public service commission to generate Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECS) for the first 10 years the system is generating power. The system produces 1 SREC for every 1,000 kWh generated. These SRECs can then be bought and sold on a market, much like stocks. The NJ utility companies need to buy up these SRECs to avoid fines by the Public Service Commission. he system produces 1 SREC for every 1,000 kWh generated. Through the Administratively Determined Incentive (ADI), each SREC-II generated is worth $90.
  • Property Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy Systems
    • New Jersey offers property owners the ability to apply for a certificate from a local assessor to reduce the assessed value of their property down to what it would be without a renewable energy system, thereby not paying property tax on the value of the system.

Residential Solar Installations to fit every need!

Solanta works with your local utility company, the Department of Buildings, and product manufacturers to make residential solar installations possible for a wide range of homeowners. We work hard to provide innovative installation solutions so that we can service more customers. We often build tilt racks and solar canopies to bring solar to customers with flat roofs in places like Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. We install modules from some of the top manufacturers like Panasonic, LG, Canadian Solar, Solaria, and SunPower. Our flexibility in design helps us to ensure that we maximize both your total savings and your solar energy production. All of our installations are NYSERDA and NABCEP certified, and come with a standard 10 year workmanship warranty to protect your rooftop and home. Here are some of our installation methods:

Shingle Mount:

  • You’ve likely seen at least a few homes in your area with solar panels mounted directly onto a shingled roof. Shingle roofs are great for solar because often they already have at least one side that’s angled towards the sun.
  • Asphalt Shingles are the most common across the country and so there are a number of great manufacturers like Ironridge, Unirac, and Pegasus, who create flashing products for us to mount solar flush to the roof by attaching to the roof joists. This makes solar safe to install and compliant with building codes.
  • For many installers, this is the only method of installation they’re familiar with. Since mounting a flange to a flat surface comes with the potential for ponding water and leaking issues, those installers ignore flat roofs altogether.

Tilt Racks:

  • In the past, buildings with small flat roofs were often ignored for hosting solar due to the amount of space needed for ballast systems. While some installers will do it anyway, mounting flush to the surface isn’t the most efficient, as sunlight is best captured at an angle.
  • Tilt Racks are a unique installation method that make use of galvanized aluminum structures that are built using standard parts like schedule 40 pipe, elbows, and cross braces. Tilt Racks can be built on any surface, as long as the area where the flange meets the roof penetration is covered with flashing fabric and sealed with roof tar or silicone (depending on the roofing material).
  • Tilt Racks create an array of multiple solar panels, eliminating the wasted space that ballasted systems need. Tilt Racks can be built customized for each home based on the orientation of the roof and any obstructions, allowing us to produce more clean energy in less space.

Canopies:

  • Solar Canopies lift solar panels 8 or more feed off the installation surface. Since they can be customized for each application, they allow for multi-purpose uses like carports, backyard patios, and rooftop decks.
  • Canopies can be built to comply with rooftop height and access regulations, allowing them to be built over obstructions like rooftop hatches and chimneys and utilize even more space than Tilt Racks.
  • Canopies can also serve as an addition to the side or backyard of a home when the roof alone can’t fit enough solar panels for a home’s energy needs.
  • Canopies can be setup with built in Electric Vehicle Chargers so that you’re both powering and protecting your newest clean energy investment.

Tile Mount:

  • Tile roofs, made from materials like clay and slate, are often known as Cold Roofs due to the breathable layer between the underlayment and the tiles. This places another 6 inches of distance between the roof joists and the surface of the roof.
  • To solve for this, Ironridge developed the Knockout Tile, which replaces one tile in full to avoid drilling into existing tile. The base has a bolt built in to mount the flashing from above. These tiles create a lower number of penetrations to the tile roof, and are waterproof. Once the tile shaped flashing is mounted over the base plate, the L foot can be bolted on and standard solar rails can be bolted to each L foot.

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