What is happening
Congress took an important step to maintain the residential solar tax credit.
Homeowners who have installed solar in 2020 are eligible for a 26% tax credit. Homeowners who go solar in 2021 were eligible for a 22% tax credit.
The new law extends these credits. Now, homeowners who go solar in 2021 or 2022 will be eligible for a 26% tax credit. Homeowners who invest in solar in 2023 will be eligible for a 22% tax credit. The credit expires after 2023.
This is good news, but Congress must do more.
A Bold Agenda: 30 Million Solar Homes
Extending this tax credit will help more people go solar. But it leaves behind too many people who do not have the money to pay for the upfront cost of solar. It also leaves behind homeowners who do not have the income to benefit from a tax credit.
Now is the time for bold action.
Congress should set a goal of creating 30 million new solar homes (about one in four U.S. households). This will help Americans families save money, create jobs, fight climate change, and address energy injustice.
To reach this goal, Congress should allow solar owners to take a cash grant option instead of a tax credit. This will help homeowners who do not have the income level to benefit from a tax credit.
It should also increase the tax credit to help solar installations that benefit low-income households and other underserved groups.
These are just some of the steps Congress can take.
Congress extended the federal solar tax credit as part of the latest budget bill. This is a good start, but they need to do more.
News
2/12: Organization urge US congress to enact legislation that will lead to 30 million solar homes in Renewable Energy World
2/12: Organizations urge US congress to enact legislation that will lead to 30 million solar homes in Altered Energy
2/11: Coalition seeks Capitol Hill help for 30M solar homes in E&E News
2/11: Solar and environmental justice orgs team up for new ’30 million solar homes’ campaign in Solar Power World
What you can do
Use the form below to:
- Thank your Representative and Senators for extending the solar tax credit.
- Tell them in your own words why you support solar energy.
- Ask them to support 30 million solar homes in 2021.
Resources
Learn more about the 30 Million Solar Homes campaign and how together we can help 1 in 4 Americans go solar.
Why 30 million solar homes?
Article
Why 30 million solar rooftops should be in the next relief bill
John Farrell of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance lays out why we should set a goal of installing 30 million solar rooftops.
Press release
30 Million Solar Homes Campaign Launches
White paper
30 Million Solar Homes: Policies for an Equitable Economic Recovery Built on Climate Protection and Energy Democracy
This document contains a set of policy recommendations to achieve the goal of 30 million solar homes.
Fact sheet
30 Million Solar Rooftops: A Vision for an Equitable Economic Recovery Built on Climate Protection and Energy Democracy
This document outlines the goals and path to add 30 million solar rooftops.
Webinar
30 Million Homes
John Farrell and Subin DeVar join Anya Schoolman for a discussion of why 30 million solar homes and how we can get there.
What you can do
Use the form below to:
- Thank your Representative and Senators for extending the solar tax credit.
- Tell them in your own words why you support solar energy.
- Ask them to support 30 million solar homes in 2021.
