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Going Deeper on Tax Credits

Image of a yellow electric school bus plugged in at a charging station.

On May 30, 2024 the Department of Energy hosted a webinar, Going Deeper on IRA Tax Credits for Schools, with detailed guidance from field-based experts on federal support for clean energy projects at schools.

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 extended energy tax credits – the federal government’s primary vehicle for boosting the production of renewable energy over the past decade – to public school districts and non-profit community organizations. Through a mechanism called Direct Pay or Elective Pay, these organizations can register to claim federal reimbursements to reduce the bottom-line cost of their completed projects, including solar cells and batteries, ground-source heat pumps, electric school buses and electric vehicle charging stations.

Funding is uncapped and non-competitive, and the value of the credits can be increased based on community factors, which are explained in the webinar. The program is set to continue for a decade, with some provisions beginning to sunset in 2032.

View the webinar here.

For related information, check the Schools & the IRA website from UndauntedK12.