As energy costs rise and concern for Earth’s environment increases, homeowners everywhere are looking into solar energy. Now there is a turn-key solution in the State of Florida to make it easy for homeowners to reduce their carbon footprint and save money on energy costs in their homes.
QuickBeam Energy designs and installs solar power systems.
We work with homeowners in the State of Florida to design and install customized photovoltaic systems that will reduce their energy costs, increase property values, and benefit the environment.
A QuickBeam Solar Power System in your home will:
Protect you from rising electricity costs – Electricity costs in Florida have increased annually since 2000 and jumped as much as 25 to 30 percent since 2008. Projections for increases currently stand at 3 to 5 percent per year into the foreseeable future. Installing a solar power system will reduce or eliminate your exposure to rising rates.
Increase the resale value of your home without increasing taxes – An article in the “Appraisal Journal” shows that for every $1,000 saved in annual energy costs, $20,000 is added to the value of a home and, by law, when you add a solar energy system to your home, it cannot increase your property taxes.
Help our country become energy independent – There are many costs associated with the use of fossil fuels, including wars and the transfer of wealth to unstable regions. You can help our country become less energy dependent on fossil fuels by installing a solar energy system.
Cost less than you might think! – The U.S. government will pay a significant portion of your system through rebates and incentives.
Incentives Available to Homeowners
Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
A taxpayer may claim a credit of 30% of qualified expenditures for a system that serves a dwelling unit located in the United States and used as a residence by the taxpayer. Expenditures with respect to the equipment are treated as made when the installation is completed. If the installation is on a new home, the "placed in service" date is the date of occupancy by the homeowner. Expenditures include labor costs for onsite preparation, assembly or original system installation, and for piping or wiring to interconnect a system to the home. If the federal tax credit exceeds tax liability, the excess amount may be carried forward to the succeeding taxable year. The excess credit can be carried forward until 2016, but it is unclear whether the unused tax credit can be carried forward after then.
There is no maximum credit for systems placed in service after 2008. The maximum credit is $2,000 for systems placed in service before January 1, 2009. Systems must be placed in service on or after January 1, 2006, and on or before December 31, 2016.
The home served by the system does not have to be the taxpayer’s principal residence.
Note that the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has published a three-page document that provides answers to frequently asked questions regarding the federal tax credits for solar energy.
Federal Loan Program
Homeowners can take advantage of energy efficient mortgages (EEM) to finance a variety of energy efficiency measures, including renewable energy technologies, in a new or existing home. The U.S. federal government supports these loans by insuring them through Federal Housing Authority (FHA) or Veterans Affairs (VA) programs. This allows borrowers who might otherwise be denied loans to pursue energy efficiency improvements, and it secures lenders against loan default.
Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy, DSIRE: www.dsireusa.org
Consumer Tax Credit: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index
Federal Loan Program: http://www.resnet.us/ratings/mortgages/