Solar Rebates & Incentives

Canada-Wide Rebates & Incentives

Despite the recent closure of the Greener Homes Grant, the Loan program will remain open for applications indefinitely. The Greener Homes Loan Program offers interest-free financing which can be stacked with the Greener Homes Grant to help homeowners complete major retrofits recommended to them by an energy advisor.

This is an unsecured personal loan (on approved credit) that is completely interest-free on a 10-year term. Loans of a minimum of $5,000, up to $40,000 are available upon approval.

To find out more details about this loan program, CLICK HERE.

The 2023 Federal Budget includes a range of clean energy incentives for businesses, including the Investment Tax credit (ITC) for clean technologies. This is a refundable incentive up to 30% of the cost of capital investment, encouraging Canadian businesses to transition to clean, net-zero energy. 

The ITC will be available until 2034 and is expected to provide over $11 billion in funds. In addition to this tax credit, you may be able to deduct up to 100% of renewable expenses within the year or carried over.

This incentive is only available to incorporated businesses. We recommend discussing this tax credit with your accountant or financial advisor to understand how these programs may apply to you.

To find out more details on the ITC, CLICK HERE.

The Capital Cost Allowance (CCA) is a tax deduction available to Canadian taxpayers who purchase depreciable property for use in their business or to earn income. The Income Tax Act allows taxpayers to deduct a percentage of the cost of eligible property each year to recover the cost over time. We recommend speaking with your accountant to determine how this tax incentive may benefit you.

We recommend discussing this tax credit with your accountant or financial advisor to understand how these programs may apply to you.

The Low Carbon Economy Challenge (or Challenge Fund) leverages Canadian ingenuity to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and generate clean growth.

The Challenge Fund supports a wide range of Canadian recipients to implement projects that deploy proven, low-carbon technologies resulting in material GHG emissions reductions across sectors, focusing on its cost-effectiveness objective to maximize GHG emissions reductions.

The program will begin accepting applications starting October 3, 2023 and will close January 12, 2024.

Federal Cost Share

Applicants may request a minimum of $1 million, up to a maximum of $25 million in funding. Federal cost shares will range from 25%-75%, see below for the breakdown:

  • 25% for for-profit businesses and farms
  • 50% for not-for-profit organizations
  • 50% for public sector body or board
  • 50% for provinces and provincial entities
  • 50% for research, academic and educational institutions
  • 50% for regional/local/municipal governments or their entities located in a province
  • 75% for regional/local/municipal governments or their entities located in a territory
  • 75% for territories and/or territorial entities
  • 75% for Indigenous recipients (including Indigenous for-profit organizations)
Example: A for-profit business is eligible for a 25% federal cost share. The federal contribution can be no less than $1 million, therefore the total project expenditures must be at least $4 million overall in order to be eligible for funding.

Alberta Rebates & Incentives

Azgard Energy Solar Club

In August 2022, Azgard Solar Inc. became a Community Retailer and launched our Micro-Generation Solar Club! Members can choose from exclusive electricity rates designed specifically for solar-micro-generators, and can switch between a High Export Rate and Low Export Rate with just 10 days notice to accommodate seasonal generation fluctuations.

  • High Export Rate: 30 c/kWh
  • Low Export Rate: 11.45 c/kWh

Click here to learn more about our Solar Club.

Solar Offsets

Azgard Solar Inc. has partnered with Solar Offsets, a program that enables you to create carbon offset credits from your solar system which are then sold in Alberta’s carbon market. This program allows you to generation up to 10 years of additional income from your solar installation. Simply sign up through Solar Offset’s no-obligation sign-up form to receive an estimate of your potential revenue – be sure to select Azgard Solar Inc. as your referral source!

Click here to complete the sign-up form.

The Micro-Generation Regulation allows Albertans to meet their own electricity needs by generating electricity from renewable or alternative energy sources. Homes and businesses with solar systems that are less than 5mW (5,000kW) can “sell” any excess power they produce back into the grid to receive monthly credits on their power bill. They are either;

  • Small micro-generators (under 150 kW) who are credited for the electricity sent back to the grid on a monthly basis at their current retail rates, but they may also install a suitable meter to receive credit for excess electricity based on hourly wholesale market prices; or
  • Large micro-generators (150 kW and above) who are credited for the electricity sent back to the grid at the hourly wholesale market price
The local wire service provider (also known as the distribution company) is responsible for connecting a micro-generator system. Individuals do not have to pay for the ordinary and reasonable costs of interconnection as these costs are shared by all customers in the distribution company’s service area.
 
To find out more details on Micro-Generation in Alberta, CLICK HERE.

Alberta’s Clean Energy Improvement Program or CEIP provides financing to both residential and commercial property owners to make energy efficient upgrades more affordable and accessible. Through this program, participants gain access to competitive financing covering up to 100% of project costs, which can be conveniently repaid through the property tax bill.

This innovative financing approach, also known as Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE), is garnering successful results across Canada. This is the first program of its kind in Alberta and is available now in select municipalities.

  • To view a list of municipalities currently participating in the residential program – CLICK HERE
  • To view a list of municipalities currently participating in the commercial program – CLICK HERE
**Azgard Solar is listed as an approved contractor through the Clean Energy Improvement Program.**
 
To find out more details on the CEIP program, including eligibility, CLICK HERE.

Saskatchewan Rebates & Incentives

If you produce your own solar power, you can use it to lower your power bill! Solar systems within Saskatchewan are eligible for a net metering credit similar to Alberta’s Micro-Generation program. Through the Net Metering Program, you can “sell” the excess energy produced by your solar system back into the grid and generate a credit that will be applied to your monthly power bill. The current rate for power sold back into the grid is 7.5 cents per kWh.

To find out more details on this program, CLICK HERE.

The Irrigation Efficiency Program supports improved energy efficiencies in irrigation systems. The program provides rebates of up to 30% of eligible solar project costs, to a maximum program payment of $50,000 over the five-year term from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2028. A rebate claim is submitted after the project is fully constructed and operational. 

To find out more details on this program contact the Saskatchewan Crops and Irrigation Branch at 1-306-867-5500 or, CLICK HERE.

Manitoba Rebates & Incentives

Efficiency Manitoba is now offering rebates on solar systems for homes and businesses that are connected to Manitoba Hydro’s grid. Solar PV systems can provide energy to your home and business in a sustainable manner. They can help reduce your monthly energy bill, mitigate the impact of future rate increases, and increase the value of your property.

This program is offering a rebate of $0.50 per direct current (DC) watt installed on homes connected to Manitoba Hydro’s grid, up to a maximum of 10 kW and $5,000 per home. For businesses, Efficiency Manitoba is offering a rebate of $0.50 per direct current (DC) watt installed on businesses up to a maximum of 50 kW and $25,000 per building.

To find out more details about this rebate program, CLICK HERE.

Manitoba Hydro’s Home Energy Efficiency Loan offers eligible homeowners up to $20,000 in financing for their solar PV systems for up to 15 years. The monthly payments is added to your energy bill and no down payment is required. The Home Energy Efficiency Loan (or HEEL) is a convenient and affordable financing option for those wanting to install energy efficient home upgrades.

The annual interest rate is 4.8% on approved credit for the first 5 years, with financing terms ranging from 5 years up to 15 years for qualifying technologies. Each payment is made monthly, conveniently through your existing energy bill.

To find out more details about this loan program, CLICK HERE.

Inactive Programs

These programs are temporarily suspended or have closed to new applicants.

The Greener Homes Grant is no longer available to new applicants. Homeowners who have already completed their online registration and have received an application number are encouraged to proceed in a timely manner with their retrofits and will continue to be eligible for funding and support through the Canada Greener Homes portal.

The Government of Canada has unveiled plans to adjust the Greener Homes program and initiate a new phase that will support Canadian households with low-to-median incomes. Updates to follow in the next coming weeks as more information is released. To read the full update, CLICK HERE.

The ACT-A intake is now closed indefinitely – application intake was held from June 1 – June 22, 2023. Applications that were submitted prior to the cut-off have been contacted as of January 2024.

The Agricultural Clean Technology (ACT) Program is a 5-year program providing funding up to 40% to support the purchase and installation of commercially available clean technologies, like our SunRangerTM Adjustable-Tilt Solar System. Priority for funding will be given to projects focused on green energy and energy efficiency, as well as those showing clear evidence of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental co-benefits.

This program can be stacked with several other programs, so long as the total funding received from federal, provincial or municipal programs does not exceed 75% of the total project costs.

The Edmonton Solar Rebate Program is fully subscribed and is no longer taking new applicants. Funding is still available to projects participating in the CEIP program.

The Edmonton Solar Rebate Program is a stackable rebate that offers Edmonton homeowners $0.40/watt towards the cost of a solar system. This works out to cover approximately 15% of the costs of going solar. This rebate can be stacked with the Greener Homes Grant program, up to a maximum of 100% of the total investment made by the homeowner. Newly constructed homes and residential buildings are also eligible for a City of Edmonton rebate of $0.30/watt.

Eligible Expenses:

  • Solar PV equipment – solar racking, panels, inverters, cabling, etc.
  • System design, development, modelling, engineering
  • Permitting fees + any fees borne to upgrade the transmission/distribution system (if necessary)

The Alberta Municipal Solar Program is not accepting applications at this time. We will continue to monitor the MCCAC for updates on this program.

The Alberta Municipal Solar Program (AMSP) is designed to provide funding to registered municipalities to install solar PV on their land and facilities. Not only does installing solar within your municipality help to significantly reduce electricity costs and generate free power whenever the sun is shining, it also provides job opportunities for your community and benefits the local economy.

If you are interested in registering your community for this program, contact us today! Azgard will take the stress of tedious application steps off your hands and work with you to get your municipality on board this program.

This program is not accepting new applications at this time. The Solar for Schools Program, supported by the MCCAC, provides funding to install solar systems on school/school properties to generate power, teach students about renewable energy resources and reducing environment impacts.