Area residents and business owners will learn how the federal tax credit of 26% has been extended through 2021 and 2022 for installing solar panels on houses, farm structures and places of business during the next Zoom meeting of Solarize Indiana.

The virtual meeting for the grassroots community group is set for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. It will include a 30-minute presentation, followed by an hour for questions and answers.

There is no charge to participate in the meeting. Prior registration is required online at facebook.com/solarizeECI or by sending an email request to Carolyn Vann, [email protected], or John Vann, [email protected], who are co-chairpersons of Solarize Indiana.

One of the main benefits of installing solar with the help of Solarize Indiana is group pricing. In addition to reducing the costs of installing a solar system, adding solar panels to structures permits more energy independence with less exposure to increasing utility bills, Carolyn Vann said. Net metering will be available through June 2022.

Also, adding solar does not affect the assessed value of a structure and will not increase the owner’s property taxes. The addition of solar has the potential to increase property value, however, Carolyn said.