While solar power and the whole green energy trend were once only a matter of concern for a small portion of the population, more and more people are taking notice about the incentives that are available from the federal government when a person decides to go green. The simple fact is that the government gives tax credits for people that outfit their homes with solar panel installations. In addition to these benefits, a person can also have the added value of a lowered electricity bill that needs to be paid each month. In many cases, the decision will be profitable after only a short time period.

In 2009, Barack Obama put a law into place the increased the amount of the tax credit for using solar panels to provide energy. This was both for individuals as well as corporate entities. The new law gave a credit that is equal to 30 percent of the expenses that are associated with installing the new panels, including the costs for labor, assembly, and the expense for the materials. This new legislation made it even more advantageous for a person or business to consider the option to use solar energy.

For the case of a commercial construction, this new credit was quite a boon. The reason why it was so popular has to deal with the federal subsidized energy financing program that was already in place. A builder could take this subsidy to purchase the solar panels and still take the 30 percent credit, even though the full price had not been paid due to the subsidy. In this way, the constructions would use more federal money and the contractor would have a much lower expense level. It is expected that the current administration will continue to put new green energy laws and credits in place in coming years.