PA Solar Energy Incentives & Rebates
Pennsylvania offers both a solar rebate and a renewable energy credit program.
Pennsylvania provides solar incentives for homeowners switching to solar. The state offers a solar rebate program called the "Pennsylvania Sunshine Solar Rebate Program", as well as credits for producing solar electricity.
Sunrun files all rebate paperwork for you and passes along the savings in your low upfront cost. Instead of paying $30,000 for a home solar system, you can upgrade to solar for little money down.
Pennsylvania Sunshine Solar Rebate Program
The Pennsylvania Sunshine Solar Rebate Program offers rebates to homeowners who install solar power systems. The program started in 2009 and is expected to last three to four years. The rebates are offered in a step-down program and rebates are dropping fast. Now is the best time for homeowners to look into solar power in Pennsylvania, to take advantage of the rebates before they drop.
Pennsylvania Solar Alternative Energy Credits (SAECs)
In Pennsylvania, homeowners will receive Solar Alternative Energy Certificates (SAECs) for generating solar electricity. In other states, these credits are commonly referred to as Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs). One megawatt-hour (MWh) of solar electricity generates one SAEC. SAECs can be sold or traded on an AEC market.
SAEC prices can fluctuate and are determined by market availability and the price of the Solar Alternative Compliance Payment (SACP) for the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). SACP is the price electricity suppliers must pay if they don't meet their renewable energy targets.
Pennsylvania enacted an Alternative Portfolio Standard of 18% by 2021. In addition to the APS, Pennsylvania created a "solar carve-out", a requirement that a portion of the APS comes from solar energy, set at 0.5% solar by 2021.
In addition to these residential solar incentives, the state also has a net metering policy that makes it more cost-effective for homeowners to switch to clean energy.
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