This page walks through each program, what it actually pays, and a few claims that do not match the underlying statute.
Federal: Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D)
The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit expired for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, under Public Law 119-21 (the One Big Beautiful Bill). The credit covered solar electric property, battery storage of 3 kWh or more, and associated labor and balance-of-system costs at qualifying U.S. residences. Re-roofing and structural roof work unrelated to mounting did not qualify even while the credit was active. IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit guidance and the IRS FAQ on P.L. 119-21 document the cutoff.
Section 48E (the commercial clean electricity credit) remains in effect for third-party-owned systems. In a lease or power purchase agreement, the leasing company owns the system and claims the 48E credit; the homeowner does not. Summit’s detailed explanation lives on the page on the 2026 federal credit.
State: Solar*Rewards
Colorado compensates residential solar systems through Solar*Rewards , administered by Xcel Energy (under Colorado PUC Renewable Energy Standard). The program structure varies by state, but the practical question for a Brighton homeowner is the same: how much of the system price does the state program offset, and is the value delivered up front or over time?
A homeowner should ask any installer to break out the Solar*Rewards value as a line item on the proposal so the math is visible, not bundled into the headline net price. Current values and contract terms are documented on the Xcel Energy (under Colorado PUC Renewable Energy Standard) site linked above, and the Solar*Rewards value is one of the inputs that determines the post-incentive net on the Brighton cost page.
Utility / state rebate: Solar*Rewards production incentive (Xcel) / no statewide upfront residential rebate
Solar*Rewards production incentive (Xcel) / no statewide upfront residential rebate delivers an additional up-front benefit to qualifying residential systems in Colorado: Approximately 2¢/kWh on all generated kWh under a 20-year Xcel Solar*Rewards contract. Property tax exemption applies to system value.. Eligibility rules and rebate amounts move with the utility's tariff cycle or the program year, so the figure on any installer's proposal should be verified against the current Xcel Solar*Rewards approved installer list before treating it as a fixed input.
City and county: Adams County
DSIRE, the federally funded clearinghouse for state and local energy incentives, lists city-level solar incentives where they exist. For most Colorado municipalities, including Brighton, the state and utility programs are the full incentive stack; there is no city-specific rebate or income-tax credit layered on top. Verify the current state of any local incentive at DSIRE’s Colorado page before signing.
State-specific compliance note
CORE Electric Cooperative (Douglas County including Castle Rock and Parker) is not regulated by the Colorado PUC and Xcel's Solar*Rewards does not apply. United Power and a few other coops serve eastern fringes of Adams and Arapahoe counties. Verify utility at the address level before quoting.
Verifying these numbers
Every figure on this page traces to a primary source: IRS guidance for the federal credit, the Solar*Rewards public documents for the state-incentive value, Colorado Public Utilities Commission tariff filings for Xcel Energy program terms, and DSIRE for any local additions. Summit’s methodology page lists the verification process and the dates each input was last checked.