A Major Shift in Green Incentives — What You Need to Know 🌞⚡🚗

I don’t normally use this space to talk about legislation, but something important just happened that I want to flag, especially if you’ve ever considered going solar or switching to an electric vehicle.

A new federal bill was passed that, among other major changes, drastically cuts back incentives for green energy, including solar and EVs. It’s frustrating, and honestly, a big step backward. But if you act quickly, there’s still time to take advantage of the current benefits before they disappear.

I’m sharing this not just because I care deeply about the environment, but also because I’ve personally benefited from these programs. I had solar panels installed on my house with support from the owner of Alpenglow Solar and Service (she worked at the company I used in 2022, and has since started her own company to service Colorado!) and was shocked at how much of the system cost was covered through the 30% federal tax credit, including the additional tree maintenance and electrical work I needed to do.

I also got a backup battery and EV charger installed (also eligible for additional tax credits), and for the few times we’ve lost power, that battery has been a lifesaver. We were able to avoid throwing out tons of food during the last outage, which went on for a couple of days.

At the time, I couldn’t believe more people weren’t talking about how good of a deal it was. So I did what I always do: I shared it with my audience.

Fast forward to today: I’ve partnered with solar companies and EV dealerships (like Emich VW in Boulder) not because I was paid to, but because I believe in this stuff. These are solutions that make financial and environmental sense — and I’m motivated to make sure you don’t miss out while these incentives still exist. And I’ll make some recommendations for those who are local to Colorado… especially since the EV deal I’m about to share is CRAZY good.

Driving an EV is such a shift in lifestyle. Instead of needing to go to the gas station and pay $50+ per tank for a few hundred miles of driving, you can charge it at home just like you charge your cell phone at night (or at a local charger, which are usually in super convenient places like supermarkets or shopping areas). Since we have solar, it’s essentially free to recharge at home, but if not, it would be somewhere between $3-8 per charge, which also adds a couple of hundred miles worth of range.

So… here’s what’s changing:

➡️ The 30% federal solar tax credit for purchased systems will now expire on December 31, 2025 — seven years earlier than expected.
 Important: You need to have your system installed by that date (not just sign a contract), so if you want to lock in the savings, the time to start the permitting and install process is now.

➡️ The $7,500 Federal EV tax rebate is going away after 9/30. Buyers have until that day to take advantage.

If you are a Colorado resident, I have a couple of recommendations for you:

From Alpenglow Solar & Service (available throughout Colorado):

• Cost-effective solar system solutions due to being a small business and strong management around overhead costs. Can provide guidance based on three months of electric bills and an evaluation of your roof/tree coverage.

• Most homeowners can save $8,000–$10,000 off their system thanks to the current federal credit. Work done to facilitate solar (including tree trimming and electrical work) also yields 30% tax credit.

• They also offer battery backup systems (I have one and love it, $10-15K) and EV charger installs ($500-2500, depending on the location of the home power supply and where the charger gets installed).

➡️ Energy rates are expected to rise significantly due to these legislative changes, making solar a smart financial hedge in addition to being better for the planet.

From Emich VW Boulder: if an EV is on your radar, this is a ridiculously good deal on the ID.4 Pro AWD (what we have!):

• $19/mo with $1,999 down ($78/mo after Boulder sales tax)

• $99/mo with $0 down ($159/mo after Boulder sales tax)

If you’ve ever considered either of these upgrades (solar or electric), this is the time to act. These offers likely won’t last, and the incentives definitely won’t. Since I started sharing this, not just one, but two people have bought/leased an ID.4 from Emich, and both shared glowing reviews of the experience.

Let me know if you have questions. I’m always happy to share more about my experience and point you in the right direction. If you want to learn more about Colleen, the founder of Alpenglow Solar and Service, check out the podcast we did back in 2022! 

– Jonathan

About Jon Levitt and For The Long Run

Jon is a runner, cyclist, and podcast host from Boston, MA, who now lives in Boulder, CO. For The Long Run is aimed at exploring the why behind what keeps runners running long, strong, and motivated.

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