@kunchd you are permitted the 30% credit once the panels are operational.
as stated in the link below,
"The credit has no annual or lifetime dollar limit except for credit limits for fuel cell property. You can claim the annual credit every year that you install eligible property until the credit begins to phase out in 2033."
https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/residential-clean-energy-credit
so if phase 1 is operational this year, you can take the 30% credit on the cost of phase 1, and once phase 2 is installed and operational, you can take a 30% credit for that in another tax year. Any unused credit can be rolled to the following year until consumed. Line 22 of Form 1040 can't go below zero, which can cause "unused credit".
