(Updated for HR 1 / OBBB and IRS guidance as of December 2025)
When Congress passed HR 1, also known as OBBB (“One Big Beautiful Bill”), it reshaped how businesses and public organizations plan renewable energy projects. Some incentives became even more valuable. Others now come with real deadlines that you simply cannot miss.
If you’re advising clients on solar, wind, energy-efficient buildings, manufacturing, or sustainability commitments, you now have a short window to help them capture significant credits before they sunset or tighten.
This guide summarizes what changed, what still works, and how Tri-Merit can help you navigate it without burying you in IRS jargon.
The Short Version (what your clients actually need to know)
- Solar and wind projects now face firm timelines. Begin construction by July 4, 2026, or place in service by December 31, 2027, to keep access to key credits.
- Many renewable energy projects still qualify for a 30% credit, with potential bonus credit for domestic content, energy communities, or low-income community area investment.
- 45X advanced manufacturing credits are a major new opportunity for manufacturers producing components for renewable energy systems, and these credits can be turned into cash.
- 179D and 45L have sunset clocks running. If clients want those incentives, planning needs to happen now, not next year.
- Credits are more “real” than ever thanks to elective pay (checks for nonprofits and public entities) and credit exchange (selling credits for cash for for-profit entities).
Notable Change:
OBBB didn’t eliminate renewable energy incentives; it made the timing more important and the planning more valuable.
- Solar and Wind: The Timeline Matters More Than Ever
OBBB tightened the rules for solar and wind projects. This isn’t about changing the credit amount; it’s about when a project starts and finishes.
To be eligible for the credit, a project must either:
- Begin construction by July 4, 2026
OR
- Be placed in service before January 1, 2028
If construction begins in time, projects generally have around four years to be placed in service.
Why this matters:
If your client is considering solar or wind, they need to move from “thinking about it” to “making decisions” sooner than later.
Where Tri-Merit helps:
We guide clients through qualification, documentation, eligibility and monetization to ensure they don’t miss the opportunity to capitalize on Energy incentives.
- The Investment Tax Credit (ITC): Still a Powerful Tool
Most renewable energy technologies, such as solar, battery storage, geothermal heat pumps, thermal energy storage systems, etc., still qualify for a 30% ITC credit on eligible costs.
And that’s before any bonuses.
Potential bonus credits:
- +10% for domestic content
- +10% for investment in an energy community
- +10–20% for investment in low-income communities
These bonuses can dramatically increase the credit value, and with the domestic content requirement ramp-up, each year, early planning is even more important.
Tri-Merit’s role:
We help evaluate eligibility, substantiate qualifications for bonus credits, and build the documentation required to defend them.
- Section 45X: Huge Opportunities for Manufacturers
45X has become one of the most impactful credits for U.S. manufacturers. If your client produces components that goes into renewable energy equipment, from solar panels to batteries and critical materials, they may qualify.
Here’s why businesses love 45X:
- It’s based on production, not a percentage of costs.
- It can qualify for elective pay for the first five years.
- Credits can be sold to an unrelated party for cash.
- No recapture period like ITC-based credits.
Tri-Merit helps uncover 45X eligibility for products that companies don’t realize qualify.
- 179D Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings: A Clock You Cannot Ignore
OBBB puts a spotlight on 179D.
To qualify:
- Construction must begin by June 30, 2026
(The commonly used 5% safe harbor applies to demonstrate the beginning of construction.”)
If your clients have any major renovations or design-build projects on the horizon, they should be discussing 179D eligibility now; don’t wait until it’s too late.
Tri-Merit’s role:
We determine eligibility, inspect and certify energy-efficiency improvements under §179D, and provide support throughout the entire process.
More on our process:
- Elective Pay & Credit Exchange: Turning Incentives into Cash Flow
OBBB didn’t take away direct pay or transferability!
Elective Pay (“Direct Pay”)
Available for:
- Governments
- School districts
- Hospitals
- Nonprofits
- And 45X manufacturers for their first five years
Eligible organizations can receive a tax credit refund check from the IRS, even without having a tax liability.
Credit Transfer
For-profit businesses can sell their credits for cash to certain unrelated parties.
Buyers typically pay 80–95 cents on the dollar, depending on risk, credit type, and size.
Tri-Merit supports both sides:
- Preparing the forms and IRS pre-filing registration
- Doing diligence and substantiating credit claims
- Coordinating credit exchange with buyers, sellers, and insurers as needed
Our goal is simple: to help your client maximize the financial benefit of credit exchange securely and in full compliance with the IRS.
- A Practical Checklist for Advisors (use this in your planning meetings)
Ask your clients:
- Are you considering a renewable energy investment?
- Are you designing or constructing new energy-efficient buildings?
- Are you planning to retrofit or upgrade HVAC, lighting systems, or the building envelope of existing buildings?
- Are you a manufacturer producing renewable energy components?
- As a C-Corp, are you interested in reducing your tax bill?
If the answer is “yes” to any of these, there’s a planning opportunity and a risk if ignored.
How Tri-Merit Helps You Get This Right (and Fast)
At Tri-Merit, renewable energy incentives are not a side project; they’re a core specialty. We support CPAs, advisors, and business owners nationwide with:
- Clear guidance on HR 1 / OBBB rule changes
- Eligibility assessments for renewable and manufacturing credits
- Full 179D and 45L engineering studies
- Domestic content and prevailing-wage compliance evaluation
- IRS portal registrations for elective pay and credit transfer
- Documentation packages that stand up under audit
- Practical timelines so clients don’t miss critical deadlines
If your clients are talking about reducing their tax bill, renewable energy, reducing energy costs, expanding facilities, or modernizing manufacturing, you should be talking about these incentives.
And if you want a partner who can simplify the technical parts, we’re here to help.
Ready for planning season?
If you want help reviewing a specific client project or building a firmwide renewable energy strategy for 2025–2026, Tri-Merit can walk you through it step-by-step.
Just say the word, we’re here whenever you need us.
