New changes to Edmonton’s solar incentive program just went into effect: Everything you need to know

The Canadian city of Edmonton, Alberta, has one of the best solar conditions across all of Canada. The city averages 2300 hours of sun per year—making it one of the most efficient locations to install solar panels.

To take advantage of this, the city offers many options for those who choose to install solar panels. The city’s solar incentive program, “Change Homes for Climate,” offers excellent benefits that are easy to access.

Under the program, homeowners can claim a rebate of $0.40/watt to help cover the installation’s upfront cost, which translates into roughly 15% total savings. New homes (those under construction or operational for less than one year) are eligible for a lower rebate of $0.30/watt. There is a maximum limit of $50,000 in rebates per household per year.

Edmonton’s solar incentive program updated its terms and conditions on April 7, 2021, to clarify eligibility criteria.

Section 2.1 now specifies that mobile homes, secondary suites (ex. garage), and properties with multiple dwellings are now eligible for the program.

Section 4.1 clarifies details of multi-dwelling buildings, stating that “each dwelling is treated similarly to any other residential dwelling, and is eligible for the lesser of $4,000 or 40% of system costs.” Owners of multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) are limited, however, to a maximum of $50,000 in rebates per annum. Additionally, this section was amended to include AC/DC ratio requirements.

Section 5.1 specifies that a signed copy of Form A – Micro-Generation Notice and supporting documentation must be submitted to the Wire Service Provider before any approval will be granted to Part 1 of an application seeking more than $4000 from this program. A signed copy of the agreed-upon solar contract and proof of the number of dwelling units must also be submitted before approval can occur.

The final change made to the program is an addition of 5 years onto the acceptable solar module warranty period — from 20 to 25 years. This increase aims to provide additional security to solar investments and has the potential to save homeowners and commercial landlords thousands of extra dollars over a panel’s lifespan.

Regardless of which type of installation, solar panels add value to a property, protect from volatile energy prices, and reduce overall electricity bills.

The city of Edmonton offers generous subsidies to both residential and commercial properties, and thanks to the recently expanded eligibility criteria and security protections, there’s never been a better time to go solar in Edmonton.