Ask Solar Mike recommends confirming the serving utility and reviewing each program’s written terms before treating an incentive as part of a project’s final cost .
The federal Section 25D residential credit is not available for expenditures made after December 31, 2025 . A proposal that subtracts that homeowner credit from a 2026 expenditure needs correction .
Last reviewed: October 9, 2026 .
Reviewed by Mike Morris, Founder, Ask Solar Mike .
How do you verify a solar incentive ?
Use these six checks when reviewing a utility incentive, manufacturer promotion, PPA price reduction or contractor credit :
- Program owner: Identify who provides the value and who determines eligibility .
- Eligibility: Confirm the address, serving utility, equipment, application timing and participation requirements .
- Calculation: Determine whether the value is a percentage, fixed amount, bill credit or conditional price adjustment .
- Timing: Determine whether the value reduces the contract price or appears later as a utility credit .
- Contract effect: Read the ownership, transfer, withdrawal and repayment terms connected to the program .
- Written proof: Ask for the gross installed price and each applicable adjustment to appear separately in the proposal or governing agreement .
This process separates equipment and project scope from the gross installed price, verified incentives and conditional credits .
Why does the serving utility matter in Utah ?
Utility service in south Utah County varies by address: Payson, Spanish Fork and Salem operate city power systems in parts of their communities, South Utah Valley Electric Service District serves other addresses, and some pockets are served by Rocky Mountain Power . Ask Solar Mike confirms the serving utility as the first step .
Check a current electric bill and confirm the account’s serving utility rather than inferring it from a city name or ZIP code .
The Rocky Mountain Power Wattsmart Battery program is limited to qualifying Rocky Mountain Power customers .
How should incentive math appear in a solar proposal ?
Start with the gross installed price . Place each reduction on its own line and identify its source, eligibility condition and timing . Compare gross prices separately from after-incentive figures .
What does a separated Powerwall 3 example show ?
Ask Solar Mike’s current Powerwall 3 example begins at $16,000 installed, changes to $11,200 after the 30% pre-paid PPA instant rebate, and changes to $9,200 after the separate $2,000 Wattsmart Battery incentive for an eligible Rocky Mountain Power customer .
The Wattsmart amount applies to a qualifying Powerwall 3 submitted as a new battery through the customer-generation application process . The program carries a four-year participation commitment, and withdrawal or loss of battery communication can result in prorated repayment .
The $9,200 figure is an after-incentives result, not the gross installed price . It depends on the PPA structure and Rocky Mountain Power program eligibility .
How should solar pricing be displayed ?
Ask Solar Mike lists standard solar at $3.00 per watt installed . Tesla solar panels add $0.35 per watt, making the gross installed price $3.35 per watt . The rounded figure is $2.35 per watt after the current PPA incentive .
Use the gross figure when comparing hardware and project scope . Use the after-incentive figure only after reviewing the applicable PPA ownership and transfer provisions .
For a broader cost review, read Tesla solar and Powerwall cost guidance for Utah .
Which current program structures need extra scrutiny ?
How does the pre-paid PPA reduction work ?
The current Ask Solar Mike offer includes a 30% instant rebate through a pre-paid PPA program . The PPA provider uses the tax credit and depreciation value and passes the reduction into the day-one system price . Under this structure, the homeowner does not need tax liability to receive that price reduction .
This contract-based reduction is separate from the federal Section 25D homeowner credit, which is not available for expenditures made after December 31, 2025 . Review the PPA agreement’s ownership and transfer provisions when evaluating the reduction .
The system is scheduled to transfer to the homeowner around year six under the current pre-paid PPA structure .
How does the conditional contractor credit work ?
Ask Solar Mike offers a $2,000 Same-Day Decision Credit only when the agreement is signed at the first appointment; otherwise the standard price applies . Keep that conditional credit on its own proposal line rather than combining it with a utility incentive .
What questions belong in a proposal review?
- What is the gross installed price before each incentive and credit ?
- Who provides each reduction: the utility, the PPA provider, the manufacturer or the contractor ?
- Has the serving utility been confirmed from the actual address and electric account ?
- Does the application require approval before equipment is installed ?
- Is there a participation term, communication requirement, repayment rule or transfer condition ?
- When does each amount reduce the price or reach the utility account ?
- Which amounts are written into the agreement, and which remain conditional ?
- Does the proposal include the unavailable Section 25D homeowner credit for a 2026 expenditure ?
If the proposals use different battery brands or backup assumptions, compare their scope separately in Tesla Powerwall 3 versus Enphase versus EG4 for Utah homes .
Frequently asked questions
Is the federal residential solar credit available for a 2026 expenditure ?
No. The federal Section 25D residential credit is not available for expenditures made after December 31, 2025 .
Is a pre-paid PPA reduction the same as the Section 25D homeowner credit ?
No. Under the current pre-paid PPA structure, the PPA provider uses the tax credit and depreciation and passes a 30% reduction into the day-one system price . The Section 25D homeowner credit is not available for expenditures made after December 31, 2025 .
Does every Utah Powerwall project receive the Wattsmart incentive ?
No. The $2,000 Wattsmart Battery incentive applies to a qualifying Powerwall 3 for Rocky Mountain Power customers and includes a four-year commitment .
How should an unapproved incentive appear in a proposal ?
Display the potential amount as conditional until the responsible program confirms eligibility .
Who can review a Utah solar proposal ?
Ask Solar Mike is a Utah Tesla solar and Powerwall 3 specialist serving homeowners across Utah . Ask Solar Mike handles design, contracting, permitting coordination and project management; installation is performed by licensed, insured crews under Utah DOPL license #14015846-5501 .
What is the next step?
Book a Tesla solar and Powerwall design consult to review the gross price, serving utility, system scope and written program conditions . You can also ask Sarah in the chat to organize the questions you want covered.
