Federal Rebate question?

[cjtinkle]

We recently purchased some acreage and plan to build an off grid home on it within the next few years. The Federal Rebate expires in 2016. We are in the process of building a road into our house site (1/2 mile) and intend to build a shop, RV pad, and install the well this summer. We'd like to go ahead and purchase the solar setup (looking at a 10kW setup from wholesale solar), install it on a rack, so that we can go ahead and live in the RV while we build and put our current home on the market.

Would we qualify for the rebate in this scenario? One solar installer told me isn't dwelling specific, but that's not what I'm understanding from reading about the tax credit.

I'd appreciate any assistance.

[Volusiano]

This site says it has to serve a dwelling unit in the US that is owned and used as a residence by the taxpayer. You should probably consult your tax advisor to see if the RV or site would qualify as a dwelling unit used as a residence by you or not. At least it says that it doesn't have to be the taxpayer's principal residence.

A taxpayer may claim a credit of 30% of qualified expenditures for a system that serves a dwelling unit located in the United States that is owned and used as a residence by the taxpayer. Expenditures with respect to the equipment are treated as made when the installation is completed. If the installation is at a new home, the "placed in service" date is the date of occupancy by the homeowner. Expenditures include labor costs for on-site preparation, assembly or original system installation, and for piping or wiring to interconnect a system to the home. If the federal tax credit exceeds tax liability, the excess amount may be carried forward to the succeeding taxable year. The excess credit may be carried forward until 2016, but it is unclear whether the unused tax credit can be carried forward after then. The maximum allowable credit, equipment requirements and other details vary by technology, as outlined below.


Solar-electric property

There is no maximum credit for systems placed in service after 2008.
Systems must be placed in service on or after January 1, 2006, and on or before December 31, 2016.
The home served by the system does not have to be the taxpayer’s principal residence.

[Naptown]

I would think an RV would qualify as a dwelling unit.
I know a boat with minimal cooking and sanitary systems does.