This July, Gorman Bros. a family-owned lumber company producing premium wood products, activated its new 100 kW solar system. The 200 solar panels will help offset the electrical demand and consumption of their facility, directly cutting energy costs and improving the business’s efficiency.
SkyFire Energy designed and installed the Gorman Bros. system, which also qualifies for BC Hydro’s Load Displacement Program and federal incentives — making their solar system a strategic investment with predictable, long-term returns.
A Rare Alignment of Incentives for BC Businesses
- BC Hydro’s Load Displacement Program
- BC Hydro’s new Energy storage incentive
- BC Hydro’s new Self Generation rate
- Clean Investment Technology Tax Credit (up to 30%) & Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance
For some commercial projects, these incentives can bring estimated solar payback periods into the 5-to-8-year range, depending on system size, electricity consumption, incentive eligibility and project economics.
Once that payback period is behind you, your system keeps generating power, meaning you could enjoy 20+ years of free electricity after the initial investment is recouped, turning a former monthly expense into a long-term source of savings.
Solar and Storage Deserve a Closer Financial Look
In our 25 years in the solar industry, it’s rare to see this level of incentive support.
For large commercial and industrial facilities with significant electricity consumption, solar and battery storage deserve a serious financial assessment. Here’s what’s on the table:
| Solar | Battery storage |
| Offset monthly energy costs | Reduce or manage peak demand |
| Lock in low energy prices for the long term | Store solar generation for use later |
| Increase property value |
Replace or reduce reliance on diesel backup generation |
| Acquire a valuable, long-term clean energy asset | Build a more flexible long-term energy strategy |
Explore what solar and storage could look like for your business — get a quote
Maximize Savings with Net Billing
While not technically an incentive, BC Hydro’s shift to Net Billing also brings real advantages for commercial buildings.
For commercial customers, one of the most meaningful shifts is the ability to build systems sized to self-supply a larger portion of their own energy needs, not just match a conservative estimate of consumption.
Commercial sites are also well-positioned to maximize self-consumption of solar as well as available roof space.
If a system generates more than the business uses, surplus power can be exported back to the grid:
- Export limit: 100 kW per phase (up to 300 kW total after consumption)
- $0.10/kWh, paid each billing cycle (not annual credits)
A new community generation option (Rate Schedule 2290) also opens doors for businesses in shared or multi-tenant settings:
- Per-customer cap Up to 100 kW each
- Shared facility cap Up to 2 MW overall
Example: a strata corporation could operate a shared generating facility, with commercial customers eligible for up to 100 kW each.
A Window Worth Acting On
Gorman Bros.’ 100 kW system is an example of what’s possible for BC businesses right now.
Between the Load Displacement Program, the Energy Storage Incentive, Net Billing and federal incentives, the financial case for commercial solar and storage is stronger than it’s been in years and incentive windows like this don’t stay open indefinitely.
If you own or manage a commercial or industrial facility in BC, the questions worth asking are simple:
- How much roof space or land do you have that could be working for you?
- What’s your monthly electricity bill?
- What would a 5–8 year payback do for your bottom line over the following 30 years?