False claim US government buys solar panels for American homeowners | Fact check
The claim: Government program purchases solar panels for American homeowners
A July 11 Facebook video (direct link, archive link) shows what appears to be a news broadcast about a new government program.
"It's the latest announcement from the government," a purported news broadcaster says. "As it turns out, American homeowners can now get solar panels bought for them. You see our government just had an urgent meeting and we've just been informed that, with the goal to reduce carbon emissions, they've launched a program called the 2023 Solar Incentive Program and anyone who owns their home and lives in the United States can now qualify to get a full state of the art solar system at absolutely no cost from the government."
Graphics on the screen say "Breaking News" and "Do not buy solar panels. The U.S. government will buy solar panels for you."
The purported broadcaster then directs social media users to click on a link in the post to apply for the program.
The post was shared more than 40 times in two days. The accompanying link was shared over 2,000 times on Facebook, according to Crowdtangle, a social media analytics tool.
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Our rating: False
There is no such program. The U.S. government does not buy solar panels for American homeowners, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Department of Energy warns against solar panel scams
Samah Shaiq, a Department of Energy spokesperson, directed Paste BN to an article the agency published regarding inaccurate claims about free government solar panel offers.
"The Department of Energy is aware of claims of offers for free solar panels or that solar companies must provide solar panels for free if requested,"reads the article. "However, the federal government does not offer any programs for free home solar panel installations nor does the government require companies to grant solar panels for free to customers."
Fact check: Government offers tax credits, not free solar panels
Becca Jones-Albertus, the director of the Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office, published another article warning the public about solar panel scams.
"The federal government does not have any programs that install solar panels on the homes of Americans for free," Jones-Albertus wrote. "A 30% tax credit is available to those who purchase a solar energy system. The tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in the amount of income tax you would otherwise owe; it is not a rebate or a government check."
Near the bottom of the webpage linked in the social media post, it also states that solar panels are not free.
"'No Cost' means that you may not be required to put any money down at the time of installation if you qualify," reads the website. "Solar is not free, but it usually saves homeowners thousands of dollars more than the initial investment. This is not financial advice."
Paste BN reached out to the Facebook user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
The video was also debunked by PolitiFact.
Our fact-check sources:
- Samah Shaiq, July 25, Email exchange with Paste BN
- Department of Energy, April 26, Free solar panels? Don't get burned
- Department of Energy, accessed July 25, Homeowner’s Guide to Going Solar
- Department of Energy, March 10, Smart Shopping Tips for Solar
- Department of Energy, August 17, 2021, Money Matters: How to Finance Your Rooftop Solar Energy System
- Department of Energy, accessed July 25, Homeowner’s Guide to the Federal Tax Credit for Solar Photovoltaics
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