The tax cut and jobs act of 2017 brought with it the option for 100 bonus depreciation on solar systems which is often a great way for businesses to quickly recover costs associated with integrating solar energy.
Bonus depreciation on solar panels.
Under 50 bonus depreciation system owners may claim depreciation of half of their solar facility after it is placed in service.
Depreciation on solar panels is one of the easiest ways businesses and farms looking to go solar can keep installation costs down rois high and paybacks short.
Because the largest percentage of most renewable energy property i e wind and solar is personal property that is otherwise 5 year modified accelerated cost recovery system macrs property and because the new law did not change the general rule for wind or solar 5 year macrs the new 100 bonus depreciation is merely an option for wind and solar deals.
Bonus depreciation under sec.
Normally the depreciable life of solar panels is 85 of the full solar system cost which may be depreciated roughly as follows.
The other 50 is depreciated using the normal depreciation table in this case 5 year macrs so in the first year the 50 bonus depreciation reduces the post itc basis by half from 850 000 to 425 000.
Year 1 20 year 2 32 year 3 19 2 year 4 11 5 year 5 11 5 and year 6 5 8.
For 2011 the special allowance was 100 of the adjusted basis of certain qualified property.
Macrs depreciation of solar panels.