What are Solar Energy Grants in Canada?

working with solar company

Solar Power should be available to everyone. For those living in British Columbia, there is a perfect solar power firm to meet your needs, and subsidies, or grants, for solar energy investments.

What Are Solar Grants?

Solar power professionals understand the needs of the consumer, and they also understand that the budget may be stretched, so can go to great lengths to get the best deal for the client. Once the householder finds the right deal it will save money on bills and can even increase the resale value of the home.

British Columbia

British Columbia ranks 6th in the country in solar installation and provides cheaper installation costs for the consumer. The most common question asked by clients is 'How big does my system need to be? the next question is 'How much will it cost? Step one is qualifying, though!

How To Get Solar Power in Your Home to Qualify for Grants

Determining Size

In order to determine the size of the solar system, the energy bill of the consumer for the last year is needed, and once the annual calculation is made a determination can be made on the size of the solar panel system.

For those with a south-facing roof, this is the perfect aspect for solar panels, and when the site has been decided the solar power firm will be able to work out the costs.

Solar Power Panels

Once the quote is finalized, the roof will be checked to ensure it is sound. The solar panels are usually long-lasting, so the process is thorough due to mounting and trenching requirements. In British Columbia and Saskatchewan, most homeowners put solar panels on the roof.

Due to the accessibility and availability of rebates, your solar power company will provide you with more information. British Columbia is the only province that allows a tax exemption for clean energy equipment, allowing the consumer to reduce upfront system costs.

Canadian Solar Grants

The PST Exemption

This exemption covers solar thermal and necessary equipment like controllers, inverters, pumps, wiring, and tubing. This is a good upfront saving with an average of between $1,700 to $2,000 for a 9.96kW system.

If you are a business owner there are Clean Energy Equipment rebates, to fully reimburse the business for equipment costs, plus abolishment of the first-year rule. There are up to 15 other energy incentive programs available in British Columbia, and if you are switching to solar they are worth considering. The average solar system in BC can produce 1004kWh per kW of solar power a year.

Utility Policies

Net Metering

The solar power firm will explain that net metering is an important policy in aiding solar generation options. it means that points are earned for the excess energy produced, that can be used later. This is possible in summer when sunlight hours are long but unlikely in winter. When you install your system is important, as net-metering credits expire annually on the anniversary of your installation date.

This way, you can enjoy the lowest electricity prices in the country. Some families go off the grid, but if you do that you won't be able to save on metered costs, and the cost of batteries is very high.

Your Choice of Solar Power Firm

When you choose the right power firm the company will make the installation easy for you and will give you a warranty on the work done.

The experienced installer will complete the job as quickly as possible, and with summer a couple of weeks away it is the ideal time to install solar panels on your roof. Solar power installation costs vary, ranging from a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars. When working out the end costs it will be between $15,000 and $30,00 depending on how many panels are installed, and many other factors.

Advantages of Solar Power

The main advantage of having too much solar power is to have the ability to sell energy back to the grid, and when you start talking to other residents with solar power you will find that some pay no energy bills as they are generating money by selling their excess electricity.

Putting in extra panels could be highly advantageous as you may be planning on purchasing a hybrid electric car in the next few years to recharge at home. Your solar power firm will be able to answer all your questions and work out a solution to meet your solar needs in Canada.