Can IRA Tax Credits Pay for Your Renewable Energy Goals? 

Tax credits are probably the best-known secret and least optimized tool in a corporate tax professionals toolbelt. Every tax season, companies hope their tax professional is looking for every tax deduction and cost saving available – but are they looking for the ones passed in federal sustainability legislature? 

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 was passed intended to inject hundreds of billions of dollars into the economy utilizing federal tax credits to democratize and increase funding towards the US green energy transition. Currently tens of billions of dollars have been deployed into the economy with over a trillion dollars expected in transactions over the next 10 years.  

Awarded to renewable energy project developers who are constructing solar and wind projects, these credits can now be transferred to third parties with more significant tax liability thereby allowing these project developers to recoup cash upon completion of their project. As these projects are pre-revenue, they are apt to sell these transferable tax credits for less than their value.  

The industry is seeing companies of all sizes reduce their tax liability, ranging from $1-5 million worth of tax credits to over $100 million, by utilizing IRA section 48 alone. Companies who understand the value and limited risk of these credits have increased available working capital, boosted net profits, and strengthened their sustainability brand image.  

Kill Two Birds with One Stone

Sustainability departments aim to advance the company's sustainability goals in a cost-effective manner, while tax departments focus on efficiently filing taxes and maximizing savings. What if it were possible to leverage federal tax incentives to fund renewable energy procurement plans? By optimizing these incentives and working cross-departmentally, an organization can achieve its sustainability objectives while simultaneously reducing costs. 

Here’s how it works:  

Companies can start doing double-duty with the procurement of IRA section 48 tax credits. Buying tax credits, whether it’s $5M or $500M, directly promotes renewable energy development and the creation of additionality while also freeing up working capital that can be utilized to progress internal sustainability goals.  

“Transferable tax credits are a great handshake between the Chief Sustainability Officer and the Chief Financial Officer.”

Harrison Wittenberg, Manager, Environmental Solutions, at STRIVE by STX.