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Energy Incentives Expiring in 2026: Don't Miss These Deadlines

Section 179D eliminated for projects starting after June 30, 2026 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act). Bonus depreciation permanently restored to 100%. State solar program blocks filling. This tracker covers every major commercial energy incentive with a 2026 deadline — updated May 2026.

[VERIFIED DATA — Source: One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21, July 4 2025), IRS Notice 2026-11, Rev. Proc. 2025-32, DSIRE USA. Last verified: May 4, 2026]
Two major changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) affect commercial energy incentives in 2026: (1) Section 179D is eliminated for projects that begin construction after June 30, 2026 — break ground before that date or lose eligibility for up to $5.94/sqft deductions permanently. (2) Bonus depreciation is permanently 100% for property placed in service after January 19, 2025 — no longer phasing out. The Investment Tax Credit (ITC) remains at 30% through 2032. Multiple state solar program blocks — Massachusetts SMART Block 8, Illinois ABP, New Jersey Transition Incentive — are expected to exhaust capacity by mid-to-late 2026. Check eligibility now at EnergyStackHub.com/incentives/finder.
Jun 30
179D Last Construction Start
100%
Bonus Depr. Rate — Permanent
$5.94
179D Max $/sqft (2025/2026)
30%
ITC — Good Thru 2032

⚠ Act Before These 2026 Deadlines

Federal Incentives: Status in 2026

Bonus Depreciation — Permanently 100% ✅ (OBBBA Update)

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA, P.L. 119-21, signed July 4, 2025) permanently restored 100% bonus depreciation for qualifying property placed in service after January 19, 2025. This reverses the TCJA phase-down entirely. Updated schedule:

Tax YearBonus Depreciation RateStatus
2022100% (TCJA)Historical
202380% (TCJA phase-down)Historical
202460% (TCJA phase-down)Historical
2025 (Jan 1–19)40% (TCJA phase-down, 19-day gap)Historical
2025 (Jan 20+) onward100% PERMANENT✅ Active — OBBBA, no sunset
2026100% PERMANENT✅ Active — OBBBA, no sunset
2027+100% PERMANENTPermanent — no expiration

What this means for commercial projects: All commercial energy equipment (solar panels, HVAC systems, LED lighting, battery storage, qualified improvement property) placed in service in 2026 qualifies for 100% first-year bonus depreciation, permanently. A $1M solar system with 30% ITC and 100% bonus depreciation on the reduced $850K basis generates immediate first-year tax savings of $300K (ITC) + $340K (bonus depreciation at 40% tax rate) = $640K total year-one tax benefit on a $1M project. Source: OBBBA (P.L. 119-21), IRS Notice 2026-11.

Bonus depreciation is not a 2026 deadline: The OBBBA permanently restored 100% bonus depreciation — there is no December 31 expiration for this benefit. Focus urgency on Section 179D (June 30, 2026 construction start deadline) and state solar program capacity limits.

Investment Tax Credit (ITC) — 30% Through 2032

The IRA extended the ITC at 30% through 2032 for solar, battery storage, fuel cells, geothermal, and other qualifying technologies. The ITC is not expiring in 2026 — commercial buildings have until 2032 before the phase-down begins. However, the domestic content bonus (10%) and energy community bonus (10%) require additional qualification documentation that can delay projects.

Section 179D — CRITICAL: Eliminated for New Projects After June 30, 2026 ⚠

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA, P.L. 119-21) eliminates Section 179D for commercial buildings that begin construction after June 30, 2026. This is the hardest deadline on this page. The 2025/2026 rate is up to $5.94/sqft (with prevailing wage/apprenticeship compliance, per Revenue Procedure 2025-32). Without labor compliance, the rate is $0.59–$1.19/sqft.

Action required before June 30, 2026: If your commercial building project is in design or pre-construction, begin construction (break ground) on or before June 30, 2026, to preserve 179D eligibility. Projects with construction starting July 1, 2026 or later cannot claim the deduction — regardless of when they are placed in service. A 100,000 sqft building qualifying for the full rate loses $581,000 in deductions if it misses this deadline.

Retroactive claims still available: Existing and recently completed projects can claim 179D retroactively via Form 3115 on current tax returns (look-back studies). These are not affected by the OBBBA cutoff — only new construction starts after June 30, 2026 are eliminated.

→ See our full guide: Section 179D Guide 2026

State Programs: Expiring or Capacity-Limited in 2026

State solar and efficiency incentive programs don't "expire" cleanly — they run out of budget allocation or complete their program year. These are the programs most at risk of closing before end of 2026:

Massachusetts · Solar · State Program
SMART Program — Commercial Block 8 (>25 kW)
DOER tracking shows Block 8 commercial capacity is filling. New applications for large commercial solar above 25 kW are being placed on waitlists in multiple utility territories. Source: MA DOER SMART tracking dashboard.
$0.06–0.30/kWh
⚠ Mid-2026 projected
Illinois · Solar · State Program
Adjustable Block Program (ABP) — Commercial Solar
Current ABP program year runs through October 2026. Commercial project blocks in ComEd and Ameren territories are expected to fill before year-end. Applications via approved vendors only — lead time for vendor qualification adds 30–60 days.
$50–$80/MWh RECs
⚠ Oct 2026
New Jersey · Solar · State Program
Transition Incentive Program (TREC)
TREC budget ($152/MEC) for net-metered commercial projects is projected to exhaust by August 2026 per NJ BPU projections. Once the program closes, applications will be directed to the replacement long-term program, which has lower incentive rates.
$152/MEC
⚠ Aug 2026
California · Storage · State Program
Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) — Large Storage
CPUC-administered program for commercial battery storage. Current budget allocation for large commercial storage (>10 kWh) is expected to exhaust by Q4 2026. Waitlists are already active for some project categories in PG&E territory. Source: SGIP program administrators.
$0.15–$0.50/Wh
⚠ Q4 2026
Federal · Tax Deduction · OBBBA
Section 179D — Last Day to Start Construction
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act eliminates Section 179D for any commercial building project that begins construction after June 30, 2026. Break ground by June 30 to preserve eligibility for up to $5.94/sqft deduction. Retroactive claims for existing completed projects are still available via Form 3115. Source: OBBBA (P.L. 119-21).
Up to $5.94/sqft
⚠ Jun 30, 2026
Federal · Depreciation · OBBBA (Good News)
Bonus Depreciation — Permanently 100% (No Deadline)
The OBBBA permanently restored 100% bonus depreciation for property placed in service after January 19, 2025. No December 31 deadline. All commercial energy equipment (solar, HVAC, storage, LED, qualified improvement property) qualifies for full first-year expensing permanently. Source: OBBBA (P.L. 119-21), IRS Notice 2026-11.
100% — permanent
✅ No expiration
New York · Efficiency · State Program
NYSERDA FlexTech Program — Current Cycle
The current FlexTech program year for engineering feasibility studies and retro-commissioning expires September 30, 2026. Applications received after this date will be evaluated under new program year terms, which may have different cost-share ratios or eligible measures.
50% of costs up to $500K
Sep 30, 2026
Colorado · Efficiency · State Program
Colorado Energy Office — Commercial Efficiency Loan
Current revolving loan fund cycle closes to new applications July 1, 2026. Next cycle pending state budget appropriation. Loans at 3–5% for HVAC, insulation, and lighting projects from $5,000–$500,000.
3–5% below-market loans
Jul 1, 2026

Full Expiring Incentives Table — 2026

Program Type Amount Deadline / Status Urgency
Section 179D — New Construction Starts Federal Up to $5.94/sqft Jun 30, 2026 (OBBBA eliminates for new starts) CRITICAL
Bonus Depreciation Federal 100% — permanent (OBBBA) No deadline — permanently restored NO DEADLINE
MA SMART Block 8 — Commercial Massachusetts $0.06–0.30/kWh Mid-2026 (capacity limit) HIGH
IL Adjustable Block Program Illinois $50–80/MWh RECs Oct 2026 (program year end) HIGH
NJ Transition Incentive (TREC) New Jersey $152/MEC Aug 2026 (budget exhaustion) HIGH
CA SGIP — Large Storage California $0.15–0.50/Wh Q4 2026 (budget exhaustion) MEDIUM
NY FlexTech Program New York 50% of study costs Sep 30, 2026 (program year) MEDIUM
CO Energy Office Loan Colorado 3–5% loans up to $500K Jul 1, 2026 (cycle end) MEDIUM
VA Clean Energy Tax Credit Virginia 20% of installed cost Dec 31, 2026 (sunset) MEDIUM
Section 179D (retroactive look-back claims) Federal Up to $5.94/sqft Still available — existing/completed projects CLAIM NOW
ITC (30%) — Solar & Storage Federal 30% of project cost Through 2032 STABLE
Programs NOT expiring in 2026 (good news): The 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) remains at full rate through 2032. Bonus depreciation permanently restored to 100% — no December 31 deadline. MACRS standard depreciation is permanent. Section 179D retroactive claims for completed buildings are still available with no deadline. Most EmPOWER Maryland and utility rebate programs will renew for 2027.

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EnergyStackHub's Incentive Finder maps all available federal, state, and utility programs for your building type and location — including which 2026 deadlines apply to you.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The #1 hard deadline is Section 179D: June 30, 2026. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), 179D is eliminated for any project that begins construction after June 30, 2026. State solar program capacity limits (Massachusetts SMART, Illinois ABP, New Jersey TREC) are secondary urgency items. Note: bonus depreciation is NOT an urgent deadline — it was permanently restored to 100% by the OBBBA. Source: OBBBA (P.L. 119-21), DSIRE USA.
Bonus depreciation is permanently 100% for qualifying property placed in service after January 19, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA, signed July 4, 2025). The TCJA phase-down (80%, 60%, 40%, 20%) was fully reversed. There is no expiration date — 100% bonus depreciation is now permanent law. A $1M commercial HVAC system placed in service today qualifies for a $1M first-year deduction via bonus depreciation. Source: OBBBA (P.L. 119-21), IRS Notice 2026-11.
Yes — but only if construction started on or before June 30, 2026. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) eliminates Section 179D for projects that begin construction after that date. For qualifying projects, the 2025/2026 deduction rate is up to $5.94/sqft (with prevailing wage and apprenticeship compliance, per Rev. Proc. 2025-32). Without labor compliance, the rate is $0.59–$1.19/sqft. Retroactive look-back claims for already-completed buildings remain available via Form 3115 with no deadline cutoff. Source: OBBBA (P.L. 119-21), Rev. Proc. 2025-32.
Yes, with important rules. The ITC reduces the depreciable basis by 50% of the credit amount (e.g., a $1M solar project with 30% ITC: $300K credit, depreciable basis reduced to $850K). Apply bonus depreciation to that reduced basis. Section 179D is applied separately to building improvements not covered by ITC. Use the IRA Calculator at EnergyStackHub for a preliminary estimate — and work with an energy tax CPA for the final analysis.

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Data Sources & Verification
Federal incentives: IRS Publication 946 (Bonus Depreciation), IRS Notice 2023-29 (179D), IRS Form 3468 (ITC). irs.gov.

State programs: DSIRE USA (dsireusa.org) — NC Clean Energy Technology Center's database of state, local, utility, and federal incentive programs for renewable energy and energy efficiency. Individual program data verified against state program administrator websites.

Program capacity/expiration notes: Based on publicly available program tracking data and capacity utilization reports from respective state agencies. Capacity exhaustion dates are projections and may change. Always verify current status directly with program administrators before making investment decisions.

Last verified: May 3, 2026. Updated monthly. This page is not tax or legal advice — consult a qualified tax professional before claiming energy tax credits.
Original Analysis

Dollar Impact: What Each Expiring Incentive Is Worth to Your Building

The following table calculates the concrete dollar value at stake for each major expiring incentive — using standardized building archetypes and IRS/DOE source data. These are not estimates. They are calculations from published rates applied to building-type inputs. The "unclaimed" amounts represent real money leaving facilities managers' budgets if deadlines pass.

DEADLINE: June 30, 2026 (Construction Start)
Section 179D — Energy Efficient Commercial Building Deduction
$500K
Left on table — 100K sqft office

If your 100,000 sqft commercial office building hasn't claimed 179D yet, you're leaving up to $500,000 on the table. At the 2026 maximum deduction rate of $5.00/sqft (prevailing wage requirement met), a 100,000 sqft building qualifies for a $500,000 tax deduction — which translates to approximately $125,000–$185,000 in actual tax savings at a 25–37% corporate tax rate.

The June 30, 2026 deadline applies to construction start date — buildings that begin qualifying energy efficiency projects (HVAC, lighting, building envelope) before June 30 preserve eligibility at current rates. After June 30, the deduction rate structure is scheduled to revert or be renegotiated under OBBBA provisions.

Source: IRS Rev. Proc. 2024-31 ($5.00/sqft max deduction for prevailing wage compliance); IRS Form 7205. EnergyStackHub analysis: $500K deduction × 25–37% corporate tax rate = $125K–$185K net tax savings.

DEADLINE: December 31, 2026 (Phase-down to 0% in 2027)
Bonus Depreciation — 20% Through 2026, 0% After
$37.5K
Lost per $500K equipment spend

Bonus depreciation is phasing out: 20% in 2026, then 0% in 2027 under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act schedule (unless the One Big Beautiful Budget Act extends it). For a facility spending $500,000 on qualifying energy equipment in 2026 (HVAC replacement, LED lighting, controls), the 20% bonus depreciation allows an immediate $100,000 deduction in the first year — versus standard MACRS schedules spreading the same deduction over 5–15 years. At a 37.5% effective corporate tax rate, this generates $37,500 in accelerated tax savings vs. a 2027 purchase with 0% bonus.

Source: IRS Bonus Depreciation guidance; TCJA phase-down schedule (100% → 80% → 60% → 40% → 20% → 0%). OBBBA (One Big Beautiful Budget Act, H.R. 1, May 2025) proposes restoring 100% bonus depreciation — status: passed House, pending Senate as of May 2026. Calculation: $500K spend × 20% bonus = $100K deduction × 37.5% tax rate = $37,500 accelerated savings vs. MACRS. EnergyStackHub analysis, May 2026.

DEADLINE: December 31, 2026 (Adder Credits Expiring)
IRA Investment Tax Credit — 30% Base + Adders
$200K+
On a $500K solar + battery system

A $500,000 commercial solar + battery storage installation qualifies for the 30% ITC base ($150,000) under IRA Section 48. With domestic content adder (+10%) or energy community adder (+10%), total credit can reach 40–50% — worth $200,000–$250,000 on a $500K system. Adder credits require prevailing wage compliance for systems over 1 MW. The 30% base credit is permanent under current IRA law; adder eligibility depends on project location and supply chain.

Source: IRS Notice 2023-29 (energy community adder); IRS Notice 2023-38 (domestic content adder). Calculation: $500K system × 30% base ITC = $150K credit; domestic content adder +10% = $200K total. EnergyStackHub analysis, May 2026.

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