Edmonton increases solar rebate program after province bows out

Solar Panel Installer (Stock)

The city of Edmonton’s solar rebate program had been frozen with no new applications accepted as the government reviews the entire energy efficiency program.

What Happened?

This same rebate program has now been increased, days ahead of Edmonton city councilors’ debate on the city’s carbon emission targets.

Why It Matters

The city previously offered a rebate of 15 cents per watt, which complemented the 90 cents per watt rebate offered from Energy Efficiency Alberta.

The new incentive rate of 40 cents per watt should cover about 15 percent of the cost of a residential installation.

Mike Mellross, the supervisor of energy transition and utility supply with the city, said solar systems are installed on a per-wattage basis, with a typical home install being around 7.5 kilowatts.

The average cost to install a large system based on the rate of $2.75/watt is around $20,000 but the rebate would drop that cost to about $17,000 by lowering the rate by 40 cents, he said.

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