How to calculate the bonus for energy storage projects

Do solar & storage projects qualify for a bonus credit?

In domestic content calculations for solar plus storage projects, the solar and storage assets are treated as one project. Norton Rose Fulbright said a standalone grid-scale battery will not qualify for a bonus credit using the percentages in the safe harbor table unless the cells plus at least one other component are U.S.-made.

Do solar projects qualify for bonus tax credits?

The US Treasury updated a table last week that is used to calculate the domestic content of solar, onshore wind and storage projects to determine whether they qualify for bonus tax credits. The updated table is in Notice 2025-08. The updated table applies to domestic content calculations starting on January 16, 2025.

Does IRA add a content bonus to energy credits?

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) added a domestic content bonus to certain energy credits that allows taxpayers to increase their tax credits by 10%, so long as they meet the requirements related to the applicable percentage of the total cost of components that are mined, produced or manufactured in the United States (see Tax Alert 2022-1236 ).

What is the purpose of the solar content bonus?

Mike Carr, Executive Director of the Solar Energy Manufacturers for America (SEMA) Coalition, released the below statement following the announcement: “The purpose of the domestic content bonus is to build a U.S.-based solar supply chain, and the latest guidance, although a positive step, falls short in some respects.

How much domestic content is required for energy projects?

Steel or iron used in these projects must be 100% domestically produced for the energy project to qualify as domestic content. Beyond that requirement, the remaining domestic content materials must add up to at least 40% of project costs (increasing to 45% in 2025).

What is a domestic content bonus?

The bonus is a 10% tax credit adder for solar, wind, and battery energy storage developers that install projects using U.S.-made components, adding to the 30% base investment tax credit. The domestic content bonus applies to facilities and projects built using the required amounts of domestically produced steel, iron and manufactured products.