Solar panel tax incentive is a governmental initiative that provides rebates on taxes to encourage households or companies to install solar panels. Incentives include credits for taxes, rebates, deductions, and exemptions. Knowing solar tax rebate calculations is critical because it may significantly decrease the initial expense of installing a solar system, making it more financially viable, particularly for businesses.

The enormous appeal of transforming the sun’s energy into usable power for individuals and companies is an idea that is gaining traction. Solar energy has come quite a distance in the last decade. Solar rebates in South Africa had a small market and minimal public interest ten years ago. However, by 2020, it is expected that more than 115 gigatonnes (GW) of solar power will have been constructed worldwide.

With growing interest in this clean energy construction, many individuals are wondering what measures they must follow to be eligible for the tax breaks that could be obtained by constructing a solar system. The budget for South Africa’s new rebate program for residential rooftop solar arrays is ZAR 4 billion ($216.7 million). It excludes inverters, battery storage systems, and installation fees. Some industry analysts, however, have already criticized the strategy for failing to address the country’s load-shedding problem adequately.

What Is The Solar Rebate In South Africa?

Enoch Godongwana, South Africa’s Finance Minister, said that the National Treasury is introducing a new refund plan for installing rooftop PV installations on private houses. People who build unique, underutilized rooftop solar panels after March 1, 2023, will be entitled to claim rebates of up to ZAR 15,000 for the panels. The new system, which has an estimated cost of ZAR 4 billion, was implemented to address South Africa’s severe load-shedding issues.

The rebate program only applies to PV modules with a minimum capacity of 275 watts. Removable solar panels are prohibited. Solar panels must be part of installations linked to private dwellings’ main distribution. The incentive applies to eligible solar PV panels installed for the first time between March 1, 2023, and February 29, 2024.

The program will not cover storage systems, inverters, generators powered by diesel, or installation fees. The South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) has already criticized this decision. Solar panels alone will not protect end users from load shedding; the solar rebate in South Africa is restricted and fails to help households that do not have access to instruments for purchasing solar systems.

Understanding Residential Solar Rebates In South Africa

Based on a 25% cap, this may equate to a ZAR 60,000 [6 kWp to 7 kWp] solar system that will only significantly affect an ordinary household with storage. According to SAPVIA, the average family purchases a 5 kW hybrid system, comprising panels and battery storage, for between ZAR 95,000 and ZAR 200,000, based on the components used.

SAPVIA supports the rebate program but urges government agencies to converse with its experts to create such programs more efficiently. On the other hand, the government has announced the extension of its solar power tax incentive for enterprises, with an overall budget of ZAR 5 billion. Businesses will be allowed to deduct 125% of the cost of renewable energy investments beginning March 1, 2023. There will be no size limits on the eligible tasks, and the rebate will be accessible for two years to boost short-term investment.

Tax Incentives And Rebates In South Africa

Businesses can subtract 50% of their solar expenses in the initial year, 30% in the second year, and 20% in the third year under the existing arrangement. This applies to PV projects larger than 1 MW and eligible assets in wind energy, concentrated solar, hydropower, and biomass. PV project investors with less than 1 MW of capacity can eliminate 100% of their expenditures in the initial year. Companies can claim a 125% credit in the first year under the extended tax incentives, with no project size limits.

Solar rebates in South Africa are specifically related to renewable energy, and several specifically address solar power. Several jabs have already been aimed at the South African government, energy regulator, and Eskom for not pushing solar adoption and storage. However, a new modification of the Income Tax Act provides tremendous incentives for solar energy installation. The new rule allows for the entire cost of a grid-connected solar system to be depreciated during installation. Thus, in simple terms, one can claim 100% of the solar installation cost. One can deduct the following expenses: installation planning price, panel supply costs, installation price, and installation safety officer charges.

Eligibility And Benefits

Furthermore, to be eligible for this solar rebate in South Africa, taxpayers must meet three stringent requirements: The relevant taxpayer claiming the deduction owns the plant, machinery, implement, utensil, or article (or purchased it under an installment credit agreement); such plant and machinery are used for the first time by that taxpayer; and such plant and machinery are applied by the person claiming the deduction in the execution of its business within the production of power from specific renewable energy resources. If these standards are met, the government has clarified that a taxpayer may deduct the costs of the electricity-producing property.

If a photovoltaic solar energy system generates fewer than one megawatt of power, the taxpayer is entitled to a 100% deductible in the first year of operation. SARS permits a tax deduction for 100% of the cost of solar panels spent to generate taxable income. In a nutshell, only a business that produces taxable revenue can deduct the expense. Also, remember that if the company is VAT-enrolled, you can get the VAT back. Unfortunately, if they run a business from home, residential homeowners can benefit from these perks. Adopting solar is unlikely to make more sense since one can save money while making money.

Conclusion

The new short-lived solar rebate in South Africa was launched to enable individuals to go solar, boost the role of distributed solar, and cushion citizens from extraordinary levels of load shedding. On the other hand, inverters and battery storage are not included in the current plans, which is a real shame because catalyzing the adoption of residential solar for storing self-generated solar electricity would go a long way towards cushioning homes and businesses. However, South Africa’s electrical problem is so severe that load-shedding will likely continue within the next two years. It would have seemed excellent to see this type of incentive scheme continue for at least three years for houses. Nonetheless, the implementation of this incentive program is a good start. Let us hope for modifications and expansions in the foreseeable future.

Also Read: Solar Panels: Do They Require Direct Sunlight?