Solar Incentives

Currently, Small Micro-Generation producers in Alberta will automatically receive a credit which is equivalent to their current electricity rate for surplus electricity generated and exported to the grid. For instance, if you are currently paying 8 cents/kWh for your electricity, you will also receive 8 cents/kWh for any excess solar energy that is fed back to the grid from your PV system. The bi-directional meter (supplied free of charge by your Wire Services Provider) keeps track of both the energy imported from the grid and the energy exported to the grid. These meter reads are processed on a monthly basis and any excess solar energy supplied to the grid will show up as a credit on your monthly electricity bill. Terms of reference are defined within the Alberta Micro-generation Regulation.  **Note that retailers such as Alberta Co-operative Energy (ACE) offer unique solar rates – for months where you are exporting more solar energy than you are importing from the grid, switch to ACE’s Micro-Generator Rate to receive a credit at 23.15 cents/kWh and accelerate the economic return from your solar PV installation.

Alberta Ecotrust Climate Innovation Fund Grant Program

In 2021, $425,000 worth of grand funding is available in Calgary and $552,500 is available in Edmonton for local not -for-profits. In order to help calibrate the grant call, they are anticipating funding requests in the range of $10,000 to $50,000. Alberta Ecotrust will accept applications for higher levels of funding (up to $100,000) however if the project meets or exceeds the evaluation criteria across multiple categories with a high likelihood of scale-up/replication. In order to be eligible for higher levels of funding applicants must discuss the project with our team prior to submission. Learn more here.

Alberta Municipal Solar Program

The Alberta Municipal Solar Program will provide rebates of up to $0.90 per watt to municipalities for installing solar on municipal buildings, such as offices, fire halls, community centers and more. Projects up to 5MW of installed capacity will receive the full AMSP rebate. The rebate provided by the MCCAC will not exceed 30% of eligible expenses.

Edmonton Solar PV Incentive Program 

The City of Edmonton is currently offering an incentive of $0.40/watt towards the cost of installing a residential system.  Click here for more information.

Canmore Solar PV Incentive Program

A limited number of solar incentives of $1,250 are available to residents and businesses to help offset the cost of purchasing and installing a solar electric system in Canmore. Eight incentives are available and drawn by lottery. All projects must meet building and electrical safety code requirements, and the minimum installation requirement is a 3 kW solar electric system. Click here for more information.

Banff Solar PV Incentive Program

The Town of Banff Solar PV Incentive Program is a post-install rebate program, with funding based on the size of the solar system installed. Eligible participants install a solar PV system on their home or business, and then receive a financial rebate from the Town, based on the size of the solar system installed. The Town provides eligible participants with a rebate of $750/kilowatt (kW) of solar up capacity installed, to a maximum of 20 kW. Click here for more information.

Medicine Hat Solar PV Incentive Program

The Solar Electric Incentive Program (the Program) offers rebates to residential utility customers to purchase and install solar PV systems on their homes. The rebate amount is awarded based on the size of the installed system. For more information visit the City of Medicine Hat.

Solar for Schools Program

The Solar for Schools (SFS) Program provides financial rebates to Alberta Public School Authorities who install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on existing school facilities or land in their jurisdiction and complete a student education initiative as part of the project. For detailed information on eligibility requirements, available funding, and how to apply, please refer to the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre.

Clean energy (PACE)/Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP)

Alberta’s Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP) provides financing to residential and commercial property owners to make energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades more affordable. Also known as Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE). In Alberta, CEIP offers competitive financing to cover up to 100 per cent of project costs and makes repayment convenient through your property’s regular tax bill. Learn more here.

Edmonton Clean Energy Improvement Program for Commercial

The Clean Energy Improvement Program is a new way to finance energy efficiency upgrades or renewable energy installations in Alberta. Commercial property owners can finance projects with a competitive interest rate and repayment terms of up to 20 years (depending on the type of upgrade).

This financing tool is for property owners to help fund a minimum of three (3) commercial energy efficiency upgrades and/or renewable energy installations. The program makes repayment of the low-cost financing convenient through your building’s regular property tax bill. Learn more here. 

Edmonton’s Building Energy Retrofit Accelerator

Edmonton’s Building Energy Retrofit Accelerator is a rebate program that provides financial incentives for energy efficiency upgrades and renewable energy installations to commercial and institutional buildings. Learn more here.

The Arctic Energy Alliance (AEA) is currently offering the following energy efficiency incentive program:

Residential Renewable Energy Fund (RREF) The Residential Renewable Energy Fund is part of the Alternative Energy Technologies Program (AETP) offered through the AEA. Through this program, NWT residents can receive a rebate on the purchase of any renewable energy generation system. Residents are eligible for up to $20,000 in rebate funding. and businesses, community governments, Indigenous governments, and non-profit organizations are eligible for up to $50,000.

Apart from solar photovoltaic systems, the rebate can also be applied towards wind turbines, ground-source heat pumps, Solar thermal (hot water and air), hydro, and pellet and wood furnaces. Visit Arctic Energy Alliance for more details.

SaskPower Net Metering Program

System size criteria:  Up to 100 kW (dc). This allows you to install a solar PV system which will generate energy to decrease your monthly power bill and receive credits for excess power generated. You receive 7.5 ¢/kWh (instead of the standard retail rate) for any excess power you use and provide back onto the SaskPower power grid. 

When you’re using the power your system produces, you’re offsetting power from the grid at your standard retail rate (e.g. 14.54¢/kWh for residential customers in 2019).

You can carry forward any unused credits on your bill until you move or close your account. 

More information here.

Summerland Net Metering Program

The District of Summerland has relaunched its Distributed Generation (Net Metering) Program. This program allows customers with small (30kW or less), inverter-based, distributed generation (DG) solar PV systems or wind turbines to be connected to the Summerland’s electric grid.

Summerland electrical utility customers who participate in the program are able to completely offset their own electricity needs each calendar year, after which the District of Summerland will purchase any excess energy that is put back onto the grid at the wholesale rate.

Full details on the program and the current retail rates (under Fees & Charges Bylaw) can be found here.

PST Tax Exemption

The following materials and equipment are exempt from PST in British Columbia: Solar photovoltaic collector panels, and wiring, controllers, and devices that convert direct current into alternating current, when they are sold with, and as part of, a system that includes solar photovoltaic collector panels. Solar thermal collector panels, and wiring, pumps, tubing, and heat exchangers, when they are sold with, and as part of, a system that includes solar thermal collector panels.

2021 Federal Budget Support for Solar Energy and Energy Efficiency Retrofit – AVAILABLE NOW

Homeowners interested in solar energy now have a new tool they can use to execute their low carbon dreams: up to $40,000 in interest free loans administered through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). This and the existing Greener Homes grant initiative (up to $5,000) administered by National Resources Canada (NRCAN) represent substantial government support for the solar industry, and an attainable path for families interested in home energy efficiency retrofit work but struggling with the upfront investment cost. Find more details here.

Agricultural Clean Technology Program

To achieve a low-carbon economy and promote sustainable growth in Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector, the Government of Canada has launched a new Agricultural Clean Technology (ACT) Program that aims to create an enabling environment for the development and adoption of clean technology which includes solar PV systems.

The ACT Program offers support under 2 streams, the Adoption Stream and the Research and Innovation Stream. Adoption Stream will support the purchase and installation of commercially available clean technologies and processes with a priority given to those that show evidence of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and other environmental co-benefits. Learn more about it here.

Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREPs)

SREPs will support Canada’s transition to a clean, electrified economy by investing in projects that will provide more clean, affordable electricity options available and help Canada achieve net-zero emissions before 2050. This program launch follows the December 2020 release of Canada’s strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, and the commitment to “invest an additional $964 million over four years, to advance renewable energy and grid modernization projects to enable the clean grid of the future.” For further information and to register go here.

Section 43.2 Tax Incentives (commercial projects only)

An Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance (CCA) is provided under Class 43.2 of Schedule II to the Income Tax Regulations for specified clean energy generation equipment. Eligible equipment includes solar thermal, solar air and solar photovoltaic equipment while project size restrictions have been eliminated. Depreciation of the solar asset can only be applied to solar revenues unless the business is involved in manufacturing or processing, mining or the sale, distribution or production of energy of any kind. For more information please click here.

Federal Solar Rebate for Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) –the application process is now closed but there may be a future opportunity.