Canadian Solar Panel Incentives

The Solar Club™ (Net Billing)

The Solar Club is Alberta’s version of net billing, but better. The Solar Club™ is a non-government program that improves energy cost savings for owners of solar PV. Solar Club™ members can switch between a high electricity rate and a low electricity rate depending on seasonal variations in Solar energy production. In the summer, you are a net exporter of electricity to the grid so you use the high electricity rate to maximize the value of that electricity you sell to the grid. In the winter, you are a net importer of electricity so you drop down to the low electricity rate to minimize the cost of the electricity you are buying from the grid. The difference between the two situations can significantly improve the financials of an investment in solar panels. Please see our Solar Club™ Info Page for more information and to see a list of energy retailers that offer it.

The Clean Energy Improvement Program

Some municipalities offer property assessed clean energy financing. This is known as the Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP) which allows property owners to finance energy efficiency projects and solar PV installations. CEIP financing is tied to the property, not the property owner. Therefore, if the property is sold, the new owner takes on the payments. Financing payments are made via property tax. CEIP funding requires a pre and post-retrofit energy assessment in the same way as the Greener Homes Grant. Some municipalities also offer a rebate.

Edmonton’s Change Homes for Climate Rebate

The City of Edmonton is offering a rebate for multi-unit residential properties with at least 4 permitted units/dwellings to install solar energy on their roof. Eligible property owners would receive $0.50/watt up to a maximum of $4,000 per dwelling and a maximum of $100,000 total rebate per property owner per calendar year. Applications open on July 2, 2024 and solar installations must be completed by December 16, 2024.

Town of Banff Solar PV Rebate

Home and commercial property owners in Banff can apply for a rebate of $0.75/Watt for solar PV between 2 kW and 20 kW. This program does not require energy assessments. Eligible participants should install solar then submit documentation to the Town of Banff that demonstrates the solar PV system has been installed and is generating renewable electricity.

Selling Carbon Credits

In Alberta, homeowners with solar panels create Carbon Credits by reducing their emissions. These credits can then be sold to businesses that are responsible for significant emissions and pollution. The legitimacy and quality of credits must be demonstrated through a third-party verification and certification process in accordance with Alberta’s Emissions Reduction Regulations. To do this, you must hire a carbon credit developer to complete the documentation required by the government to verify your carbon credits. Once the documentation is submitted and data verified, the project is logged in the Alberta Carbon Registries and the credits are created. There are 3 main carbon credit resellers in the province: Re(source), Rewatt and Carbon Offset.

Medicine Hat

The HAT Smart program provides $200/kW DC up to a maximum of $1,000 for homeowners to install solar panels. This program requires an initial EnerGuide Home Evaluation (pre-renovation) to qualify.

CMHC Eco Improvement

Receive a 25% refund on your CMHC insurance premium when you invest in energy-efficient upgrades or solar panels. within 2 years of buying your home. After closing your mortgage, eligible borrowers have 2 years to submit the refund request, along with the necessary supporting documentation, directly to CMHC. It’s easy, convenient, and hassle-free!

BC Hydro Self Generation

BC Hydro’s self-generation program (previously named “net metering”) is for homeowners who want to reduce their electricity bills with solar panels. Under this program, when a homeowner generates more electricity from solar panels than their home needs, it is sent to the grid for a credit. When less electricity is generated by the solar panels than the home needs, the credit is used up. Any excess credit left over at the end of a billing cycle will carry over to future bills.

BC Hydro Rebate

BC Hydro is offering a $5,000 rebate towards grid-connected solar panels ($1,000 per kW) and an additional $5,000 for battery storage systems ($500 per kWh). Rebates may be combined with funding received from other third party funders; however, the total rebate payment when combined with third party funding cannot exceed the total project cost (including labour and materials). Rebate applications will be reviewed and processed for payment after the project is complete and fully installed. Eligible Customers may apply online using their myHydro account. Note that Customers of other utilities within B.C., such as FortisBC or the City of New Westminster, are not eligible for this rebates.

Manitoba Hydro Net Billing

Net billing allows homeowners to generate electricity for their own use and sell excess electricity to Manitoba Hydro to receive a monetary credit. If a homeowner generates more electricity than they need, the excess is sent to the grid for a credit at a rate of $0.05607/kWh until March 31, 2025. This price is updated yearly and reflects the current market value.

Manitoba Hydro Home Energy Efficiency Loan

The Manitoba Hydro Home Energy Efficiency Loan is a convenient and affordable financing option that lets you finance the cost of Solar PV through monthly payments added to your energy bill. No down payment is required and the installer is paid directly. Solar PV financing is calculated based on $3,000 per kW installed, to a maximum of $20,000. The maximum financing term is 15 years for solar and the annual interest rate is 6.2% (O.A.C) for the first 5 years.

Efficiency Manitoba Solar Rebate

Efficiency Manitoba offers a solar panel rebate of $500 per kW installed on homes connected to Manitoba Hydro’s grid, up to a maximum of 10 kW and $5,000 per home. Homeowners can install solar PV systems larger than 10 kW; however, the rebate will be capped at 10 kW and $5,000 per home.

NB Power Net Metering

Net metering through NB Power allows homeowners to use solar panels to send electricity to the grid for a credit and use that credit up when needed. A net meter provides readings for both the customer’s electricity consumption from NB Power and the excess electricity the customer sends back to NB Power’s distribution system. NB Power bills for the difference or ‘net’ amount of electricity used. You will always pay the monthly service charge and rental charges (if applicable) and HST must be applied to the total amount of electricity delivered. All credits can be carried forward and used up month to month until March 31st each year when your balance resets to zero which makes it very important to size the system appropriately.

Total Home Energy Savings Program

The Total Home Energy Savings Program through NB Power provides homeowners with a rebate of $200/kW up to a maximum of $3,000. The program requires that homeowners get 2 energy evaluations completed. One before solar panels are installed and one after. You must schedule a pre-retrofit energy evaluation with an approved service organization in order to qualify.

Newfoundland Hydro Net Metering

The net metering program offers customers the opportunity to offset some or all of the electricity they draw from the grid. Net metering allows homeowners to send excess electricity generated from their solar panels to the Newfoundland Hydro distribution system, providing a credit that can be used for future energy requirements. On the annual anniversary date of connection, any unused credited energy will be credited on the homeowners bill. Newfoundland Hydro monitors your meter and subtracts the amount of electricity supplied to the grid from the amount that is taken from the grid. The “net” difference between these two amounts is what is charged on the homeowners bill. As a net metering customer, you will continue to pay the applicable, regular monthly basic customer charge (commercial customers will also continue to pay demand charges, if applicable). If more energy is used than generated in a given month, there will be an energy (kWh) charge on your monthly bill. If more electricity is generated than used, there will be no energy (kWh) charge and the surplus will be banked and applied to future bills. You will receive a credit for any surplus remaining at the end of the annual review period. Compensation for these credits will be based on the marginal wholesale rate.

Nova Scotia Power Enhanced Net Metering

This solar panel incentive allows homeowners to export electricity to the grid for a credit and receive the same price as they would pay. At the end of a year, if a homeowner produced more electricity than they used, Nova Scotia Power will provide a cash payment based on the current residential rate. Net metering customers will still have to pay a monthly base charge so electricity bills cannot be $0. Solar PV systems must be appropriately sized so that the amount of electricity a solar PV system produces is comparable to the amount of electricity used by the home. Some homeowners that use Antigonish Electric, Berwick Electric Light, Canso Electric, Lunenburg, Mahone Bay Electric or Riverport Electric may not be able to use net metering or it may be different.

SolarHomes Rebate

The SolarHomes Program offers rebates to Nova Scotia homeowners to install solar panels. The SolarHomes rebate is capped at $0.30/Watt up to a maximum of $3,000. This program does not require an energy evaluation. The application must be submitted after the homeowner has received solar quotes but before work has started.

Clean Energy Financing Programs

Many municipalities have Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs that allow homeowners to finance the cost of a solar panel installation and repay a through their property tax bill or a local improvement charge. Program details vary by municipality.

Halifax Solar City

The Halifax Solar City program offers homeowners the ability to finance the cost of a solar panel installation using a voluntary Local
Improvement Charge (LIC) that is placed on their property. The LIC is separate from the property tax bill. The LIC payments are made over a period of 10 years at a fixed interest rate of 4.75% with the option to pay the balance at any time. This loan is applied to the property, not the individual so if the owner moves before the financing is repaid, the charge can be transferred to the next property owner as long as both parties agree.

Net Metering

Ontario’s Net Metering Program allows homeowners with solar panels to send excess electricity to the grid for a credit on their hydro bill. These credits can only be used to offset charges related to electricity consumption and cannot be applied to other types of charges. Credits can only be carried over to future bills for up to 12 months, after which credits are reduced to $0. 

Home Renovation Savings Program

The Home Renovation Savings Program provides homeowners with up to $5,000 towards both solar panels and battery storage. Solar panels must be sized for load displacement only. Net metering is not permitted. This requirement severely limits the useability of this rebate program since net metering is what allows homeowners to export excess solar electricity to the grid for a credit (in the summer). For most homeowners, it is more beneficial to forgo this rebate and continue to use Net Metering.

Maritime Electric Net Metering

Maritime Electric’s Net Metering Program allows homeowners to energy credits when they export solar electricity to the grid. Net Metering customers will have a second electricity meter installed. One meter measures the electricity that is exported to the grid and the other meter measures the electricity that is imported from the grid. The monthly difference between these two meters determines whether the homeowner gets energy credits or a bill for the net electricity generated or consumed. Please note the customer still pays for only one monthly service charge, even though there are two meters. Credits can be carried forward until October 31 of the following calendar year.

Hydro‑Québec Net Metering

This rate option allows eligible self-generators to feed their surplus power into the Hydro‑Québec grid in exchange for credits. These credits are applied to the self-generator’s electricity bill. Inversely, if customers do not generate enough power for their needs, they can draw electricity from the grid and benefit from the reliability of Hydro‑Québec’s power supply. The idea is for customers to meet their own electricity needs and not to supply power to the Hydro‑Québec grid. The credits will reset to zero every two years.

SaskPower Net Metering

Net metering through SaskPower allows home and business owners to use solar panels to send electricity to the grid for a credit and use that credit up when needed. Any power that can’t be used in real-time is sent to the grid. Homeowners then receive a credit rate of 7.5 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) until March 31, 2026. SaskPower will re-evaluate what the program will look like after this date once it’s confirmed. Each billing cycle, you’ll receive a credit for the excess power you generated and sent back to our power grid. The excess power is displayed as a dollar credit on your bill.