THE CITY OF EDMONTON IS HELPING EDMONTONIANS INSTALL SOLAR SYSTEMS ON THEIR HOMES TO PRODUCE RENEWABLE ENERGY.
The City is offering Edmontonions $0.40/watt for existing homes & $0.30/watt for new homes towards the cost of the system, which is roughly 15% of the cost of going solar! Thinking about installing a solar system on your home? Now is the time. Generating local renewable energy is one of the most impactful ways of taking action on climate change. Terms & Conditions
TURN YOUR HOME INTO A TINY POWER PLANT.
With 2,300 hours of sun in an average year, Edmonton is one of the sunniest cities in Canada. Solar panels can supply anywhere from a few percent up to 100% of your electricity, and while electricity only accounts for 16% of the energy used in Edmonton, it produces around 40% of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions. With rooftop solar, you’re not just protecting yourself from the ups and downs of energy prices, you’re reducing the carbon footprint of your home and your community.
WORK WITH A QUALIFIED SOLAR PROVIDER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EXISTING RESIDENTIAL REBATES.
Hire a qualified solar provider listed on the Solar Providers Directory of either the Solar Energy Society of Alberta (SESA) or the Canadian Renewable Industries Association (CanREA).
If you need help choosing the right one for you, view these further resources:
If you have more questions, please view our FAQ page or contact us.
Clean Energy Improvement Program Applications
Please note that projects participating in the City of Edmonton’s Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP) residential financing pilot program must still apply for the Solar Program rebate, as separate funds are available to support these CEIP pilot projects. Applicants already pre-qualified for CEIP financing should continue submitting rebate applications for these projects.
We encourage interested Edmonton residents to continue embracing solar energy and apply to the Government of Canada’s Greener Homes Initiative to access grants and interest-free loans for renewable energy systems.
Eligible Property Types
Section 2.1 has been updated to clarify that mobile homes, secondary suites (e.g. garage and garden suites) are eligible for the program. A further clarification is included that multiple dwellings on a property are eligible for participation. These changes were made to enable multi-family building participation.
Multi-Unit Residential Buildings (MURBs)
Section 4.1 clarifies the eligibility of multi-unit residential dwellings. Each dwelling is treated similarly to any other residential dwelling, and is eligible for the lesser of $4,000 or 40% of system costs. However, each property owner or business is eligible for a maximum of $50,000 in rebates per calendar year. Stacking with other rebate programs is still allowed, to a maximum of 100% of the eligible system costs. Please note, stacking of solar rebates is not allowed with Emissions Reductions Alberta’s Energy Savings for Business program.
For example, here is a hypothetical rebate calculation for an existing MURB:
- 20 unit existing apartment building
- Micro-generation eligible system of 100 kW DC, eligible system cost $220,000
- Maximum eligibility levels:
- 40% of $220,000 = $88,000
- 20 dwellings X $4,000 = $80,000
- Maximum limit per property owner or business = $50,000
- Rebate amount: $0.40/W*100 kW = $40,000
Given all of the above, the applicant would be eligible for $40,000 in rebates for this project. This application would be processed as one single application, not 20.
Section 5.1 also specifies that a signed copy of Form A – Micro-Generation Notice and supporting documentation submitted to the Wire Service Provider is required for Part 1 approval for any application seeking over $4,000 in rebates from this program. Additionally, a signed copy of the installer contract and proof of the number of units are required.
New Homes (Single and Multi Family)
Eligibility for new homes has been expanded. Section 4.1 now specifies that new residential properties will be eligible for rebates of $0.30 per watt, to a maximum of $50,000 per calendar per new home builder. New residential properties are defined as those under construction, or that have been operational for less than one year.
To ensure funding is available for new and exciting residential properties, a maximum of 50% of the total City of Edmonton annual CHCSP incentive budget will be allocated to new construction projects. As a result, rebate funds for newly constructed homes/buildings may be exhausted even though funds would be remaining for existing residential properties.
Module Warranties
The acceptable module warranty period has been increased from 20 to 25 years.
DC/AC Ratio
Section 4.1 now includes clarification of DC/AC ratio requirements.
COVID-19 Changes to Installation Timelines
The changes introduced March 30, 2020, lengthening the Part II application period to 9 months remains in effect.
Changes have also been made to the application portal to reflect these updates.
Important to Note: In the case of any discrepancy between the Terms and Conditions and any other information source (including this notice), the Terms and Conditions take precedence.
Any applicants whose application was received prior to April 7, 2021 and agreed to previous program Terms and Conditions will be bound by the version that was in effect when they agreed to them.