Solar Tax Credits And other more important things to think about

Only 409 More Shopping Days!  30% Fed Income Tax Credit on all Solar installations expires 12/31/2016  State Tax Credits have expired  Select Solar “rebates” still available everywhere through local utilities

Except Routt County 

Rules and Stuff  Must be installed before 12/31/2016  Includes labor and equipment  Credit can be carried forward into 2016  Especially valuable for those in high tax brackets  No Maximum  Cannot be used to heat your hot tub

Magical moment of low prices + available tax credits

Our Solar Thermal Project

Probably a bad investment  Didn’t make that much difference  Solar Thermal + Storage Tank is still too expensive - $14,600  Yes we got a $4,380 tax credit  Roofing repair or replacement is difficult with panels  Breakeven? I could be dead by then

Kill the Dragon instead! Trinity 200 modulating condensing 96% efficient Energy Star boiler and Caleffi hydromixer system $16,400 $500 tax credit 7.45 Yrs to B.E.

But “Plugging In” to CEC was a home run  No panels on the roof  Plugging in Sarah’s PHEV daily  20 PV panels cost the same as 3 Solar Thermal panels - ~$15,000  No electric bill for the next 25 years  Almost no gasoline bill for the life of the car  Breakeven? 5.56 years then + $2,700/ yr.

The Future – the BIG secret  The value of your home will not only be about sq ft, bedrooms, bathrooms and countertops  It will also be determined by relative operating costs (HERS/ HES ratings)  You will get your money back on efficiency investments on the sale of your home + annual cost savings.  You will have an Electric Car too!