GriffEnergy articles

Articles. Straight answers on solar and batteries, for homes and businesses.

For homeowners

Start here if it's your house.

Solar basicsHow home solar works RebatesEvery solar rebate in Canada, by province Buying guideHow to read a solar quote, line by line

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For businesses and farms

Start here if it's your business.

RebatesThe 30% federal credit is business-only CostsHow business electricity bills work RebatesCommercial solar incentives by province

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Costs & Savings

Business

Commercial Battery Storage: When It Pays and When It Doesn't

A business battery pays when it cuts a big, short peak: monthly demand charges in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, or Ontario's Class A Global Adjustment. Worked examples, the 30% ITC on storage, and a quick test.

How Big a Battery Do You Need? Essential Loads vs Whole Home

Size a home battery for power (kW) and energy (kWh). Essential loads in a Canadian winter use about 12 kWh a day, so one 13.5 kWh battery covers about a day; whole-home backup usually takes two or three.

Peak Shaving and the Global Adjustment: Class A vs Class B for Ontario Businesses

The Global Adjustment is often the largest part of an Ontario business's electricity cost. How Class A and Class B are billed, who qualifies for Class A, and what solar, batteries and the new Peak Performance program each do.

Battery Payback on Ontario's Ultra-Low Overnight Plan: The Real Math

On Ontario's ULO plan a home battery can save roughly $700 to $800 a year by avoiding the 39.1-cent evening peak. Worked examples show payback of about 15 to 23 years, longer than most warranties, so backup is still the main reason to buy.

Commercial Solar Cost and Payback in Canada (2026)

Commercial solar in Canada typically costs about $1.90 to $2.80 per watt installed. Here's a worked 100 kW example with the provincial incentive and 30% ITC stacked in the right order, and what moves the payback.

Best Home Batteries in Canada (2026): Compared on Cold, Capacity and Rebates

Tesla Powerwall 3, Enphase IQ Battery 5P, FranklinWH aPower 2 and Sigenergy SigenStor compared on what matters in Canada: cold-weather rating, usable kWh, power, warranty and rebate eligibility.

How Much Does a Home Battery Cost in Canada? (2026)

A home battery in Canada typically costs about $900 to $1,400 per usable kWh installed, or roughly $12,000 to $24,000 for a 10 to 15 kWh system before rebates. Here's what drives the price and what each province takes off.

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October 14, 2026

Homeowners

Best Roof Types for Solar Panels in Canada: A Beginner's Guide

Asphalt shingle and standing-seam metal are the easiest roofs for solar. Here's how each Canadian roof type handles panels, how they attach and what it does to the price.

Do Solar Panels Increase Home Value in Canada?

Often, but not automatically. US studies found a premium for owned solar; Canadian appraisers don't credit it by default. Here's what makes solar add value when you sell.

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October 14, 2026

Homeowners

Can You Replace Your Roof After Installing Solar Panels?

Yes. Panels come off, the roof is replaced and the system goes back on with new flashing. Here's how a detach and reset works, what it costs and how to protect your warranties.

Commercial Solar Project Timeline: From Bills to Switch-On

The seven steps of a business solar project in Canada, from reading your bills to claiming the tax credit, and what you need at each one.

Commercial Solar Incentives by Province (2026)

The 30% federal credit plus what's open for businesses and farms in Ontario, BC, Alberta, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in 2026.

How Business Electricity Bills Work: Energy vs Demand

Business power is billed on a fixed charge, energy and demand. Solar cuts energy; batteries and load control cut demand. Here's where demand charges start in each province.

What Does Home Solar Cost in Canada in 2026?

A typical Canadian home solar system costs about $2.40-$3.50 per watt installed - roughly $15,000-$35,000 before incentives. Here's what drives the price and what lowers it.

What a Home Battery Actually Changes

A home battery keeps your lights on in an outage, lets you use your own solar at night, and shifts usage out of expensive evening peaks. Here's when it's worth it.

String Inverter vs Microinverters vs Optimizers

String inverters are cheapest and fine for simple roofs. Microinverters and optimizers earn their premium with shade, multiple roof faces, or uneven snow - and the inverter is the part most likely to need replacing.

Solar Payback in Canada: How Long Until It Pays Off?

Most Canadian home solar systems pay for themselves in about 8-14 years, then produce nearly free power for another decade or more. Here's what shortens or lengthens that.

Solar Panels Compared for Canadian Winters: The Specs That Matter

Efficiency is the wrong headline spec in Canada. Compare snow load (5400 Pa), temperature coefficient (-0.29%/C), low-light performance and hail rating instead - and know that Tier 1 isn't a quality rating.

Selling a Home With Solar in Canada: What Actually Transfers

An owned system transfers with the house - but the grid agreement often doesn't. In Alberta the buyer must reapply for micro-generation or earn no credit at all. Here's what actually transfers, province by province.

Roof First: When to Replace Before You Install Solar

Panels last 25-30 years; shingles last 15-25. If your roof has under 10 years left, re-roof first - removing and reinstalling an array later is a four-figure cost that buys you nothing.

Ontario Solar & Battery Rebate 2026: Up to $10,000 Back

Ontario's Home Renovation Savings Program pays up to $5,000 for solar and $5,000 for a battery in 2026. See the real rebate math, who qualifies, and how to apply.

Nova Scotia Solar After SolarHomes: What's Left in 2026

SolarHomes closed in April 2025, but Nova Scotia still has one of Canada's most valuable net-metering arrangements, roughly 1:1 credit at about 19.1 cents/kWh. Here's why the rate matters more than the rebate.

NB Power Net-Metering Changes: The October 31, 2026 Deadline

NB Power wants to replace 1:1 net metering with a value-of-solar credit and a demand charge. It's not approved, but systems need an approved application by October 31, 2026 to keep today's terms to 2037.

How to Read a Solar Quote, Line by Line

Two quotes for the same roof can differ by $8,000 and look identical. Here's how to read one line by line - equipment models, kW DC, production assumptions, three warranties, and the rebate line.

How to Choose a Solar Installer in Canada

The installer matters more than the panel brand. Look for proper licensing, in-house crews, itemized quotes, real references, and honest incentive claims - and walk away from anyone who inflates rebates.

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Solar Basics

Homeowners

How Home Solar Works: A Plain-English Guide

Panels turn sunlight into DC power, an inverter converts it to household AC, your home uses it first, and the extra flows to the grid for a credit. Here's the whole loop.

How Big a Solar System Do You Actually Need?

The right solar system isn't the biggest one your roof can hold - it's the one matched to how much power you use. Start with your annual kWh, not your roof.

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Rebates & Incentives

Both

The 30% Federal Solar Credit Is Business-Only — What Homeowners Actually Get

The 30% federal Clean Technology ITC is real - but it's for incorporated businesses and farms, not homeowners. Here's what individual homeowners actually qualify for instead.

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News & Policy

Homeowners

The Federal Greener Homes Programs Have Closed: What's Left in 2026

The Canada Greener Homes Grant closed in 2024 and the interest-free loan closed in October 2025. Here's what federal support actually remains for solar in 2026.

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Rebates & Incentives

Homeowners

Every Solar Rebate in Canada by Province (2026)

Every real solar rebate and net-metering program across Ontario, BC, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Alberta - with dollar amounts, eligibility, and the date each figure was verified.

Do You Actually Need a Home Battery?

Most Canadian homes don't strictly need a battery to benefit from solar. A battery earns its keep in three situations - here's how to tell if you're one of them.

Do Solar Panels Work in Canadian Winters? Cold, Snow, Rain and Hail

Yes. Cold helps panels; short days, a low sun and snow cut winter output. Here's what cold, snow, rain and hail actually do, and what winter means for your bill in each province.

BC's 2026 Solar Rule Changes: The New Self-Generation Rate Explained

BC closed 1:1 net metering to new customers on July 1, 2026. The new RS 2289 self-generation rate pays a flat 10 cents/kWh, and rebates now require an HPCN member installer. Here's what actually changed.

What Alberta Homeowners Actually Get Without a Provincial Rebate

Alberta has no provincial solar rebate - but it does have CEIP property-tax financing up to $50,000, municipal rebates like Banff's $450/kW, net billing, and no PST. Here's the real picture.

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August 27, 2026

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