Province guide
Up to $10,000

British Columbia

Solar, batteries & heat pumps

BC still has strong rebates, but the export economics changed in 2026. Net metering closed to new customers and a flat-rate self-generation tariff replaced it.
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Home or business?
Home or business?
Rated 4.9
Homeowners across Ontario, Alberta & Nova Scotia
Electricity rate
Tiered or flat plans; exports paid 10¢/kWh
Solar export
Closed July 2026, now RS 2289
Max system size
100 kW AC export limit
Open programs
3

Home or business?

Power is priced differently for homes and businesses, and so are the programs. Pick yours for the full step-by-step guide.
For homes

Residential solar

Home electricity rates, rebates, sizing, batteries and every step from quote to switch-on.

Read the home solar guide →
For businesses & farms

Commercial solar

How business power is billed, demand charges, the 30% federal credit and how a project runs.

Read the business solar guide →
For homes

Home power rates and solar programs

Electricity rates for homes

How homes pay for power

BC Hydro prices are low by Canadian standards, and most homes are on a two-step tiered rate. Rates went up 3.75% on April 1 in both 2025 and 2026.

Tiered residential rate

Step 1 (first ~675 kWh/month)11.87¢/kWh
Step 2 (above that)14.08¢/kWh
Basic charge23.44¢/day
Step threshold22.19 kWh/dayAbout 1,350 kWh per two-month bill
Solar exports10¢/kWhRate 2289, since July 1, 2026

A flat-rate plan and optional time-of-day pricing are also available. Time-of-day makes power cheapest overnight and most expensive in the evening.

What this means for solar

Net metering closed to new customers on July 1, 2026. Exports now earn a flat 10¢, which is below what you pay for Step 2 power. Size for what your home uses, and look hard at a battery.

Sources · checked October 2026

Home solar programs

The short version

BC Hydro pays up to $10,000 back on solar and a battery, but the rules are strict. Get them wrong and the rebate is void.

Solar rebate$1,000/kWUp to $5,000
Battery rebate$500/kWhUp to $5,000 with Peak Saver
PSTExemptOn solar equipment
BC Hydro home solar & battery rebateUp to $10,000Read the program →National Heat Pump RebateUp to $10,000 for below-median incomes, $2,000 for other households. Applications expected early 2027.Read the program →

The rules that catch people

  • Written pre-approval before you buy equipment.
  • Since June 1, 2026 your installer must be a Home Performance Contractor Network member.
  • Tesla products aren't eligible. Individually metered strata suites don't qualify. FortisBC customers aren't eligible.
  • Rebates are capped at 50% of cost, and taking one puts you on the 10¢ export rate.

Sources · checked October 2026

Read the full home solar guide →Get my free estimate
What this means for solar

Exports now earn 10¢/kWh instead of bill credits, so systems pay best when sized to your own use, often with a battery.

We design every system around your province's rules and your own power bill, so the savings we quote are the ones you see.
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For businesses & farms

Business power rates and solar programs

How business power is billed

How business power is billed

BC Hydro sorts businesses by peak demand. Small accounts pay energy only; once you pass 35 kW, a monthly demand charge kicks in.

ClassWhoHow you're billed
Small General ServicePeak under 35 kWDaily basic charge + energy per kWh
Medium General Service35–150 kW and under 550,000 kWh/yrBasic charge + demand charge ($/kW) + energy
Large General Service150 kW+ or over 550,000 kWh/yrHigher demand charge, lower energy price

Where solar saves

  • Small accounts: every kWh you make offsets the full energy price.
  • Medium and large accounts: the energy price is lower, so the demand charge matters more. Pair solar with a battery or load control.
  • Exports only earn 10¢, so match the array to daytime load.

We pull your current prices from your bill when we model a system, since BC Hydro adjusts them each April.

Sources · checked October 2026

Business solar programs

For businesses, farms and non-profits

BC Hydro's rebate also covers business systems under 100 kW, and incorporated businesses add the 30% federal tax credit.

Solarup to $10,000Systems under 100 kW
Batteryup to $10,000
Federal ITC30%20% without labour election
BC commercial solar incentivesUp to $10,000 + $10,000 + ITCRead the program →Federal Clean Technology ITC30% refundable tax credit (20% without the labour election). Taxable corporations and incorporated farms only.Read the program →

Exports earn 10¢/kWh under the self-generation rate, so systems should be sized to what the business uses during the day.

Sources · checked October 2026

Read the full business solar guide →Get my free estimate

Utilities in this province

Who runs the wires, what power costs, and when prices change next. Pick yours for the full solar rules.
Vancouver & Lower Mainland
BC Hydro
Tiered or flat rate plans, optional time-of-day pricing; +3.75% on Apr 1, 2026
Next change:
March 31, 2027
Next revenue requirements application for rates effective Apr 1, 2027
Rate outlook:
Under Review
See utility →

Which cities have their own page?

Local pages with your utility, the rebates that apply and what a system looks like there.
Surrey
Up to $10,000 back from BC Hydro
Surrey has a large stock of detached homes south of the Fraser, many with wide south-facing roofs. BC Hydro now pays rebates on both solar panels and home batteries.
Local details →
Burnaby
Up to $10,000 back from BC Hydro
Burnaby mixes older detached homes with newer townhouses, so roof space varies a lot street to street. BC Hydro now pays rebates on both solar panels and home batteries.
Local details →
Coquitlam
Up to $10,000 back from BC Hydro
Coquitlam's hillside neighbourhoods like Westwood Plateau often face south, which helps production. BC Hydro now pays rebates on both solar panels and home batteries.
Local details →
Maple Ridge
Up to $10,000 back from BC Hydro
Maple Ridge has bigger lots than the inner suburbs, with room for larger arrays. BC Hydro now pays rebates on both solar panels and home batteries.
Local details →
Lions Bay
Up to $10,000 back from BC Hydro
Lions Bay is a small mountainside village on Howe Sound, where steep sites and storm outages make batteries worth considering. BC Hydro now pays rebates on both solar panels and home batteries.
Local details →
Richmond
Up to $10,000 back from BC Hydro
Richmond is flat and open, with less hillside shading than most of Metro Vancouver. BC Hydro now pays rebates on both solar panels and home batteries.
Local details →
Delta
Up to $10,000 back from BC Hydro
Delta, including Ladner and Tsawwassen, is one of the sunnier corners of the Lower Mainland. BC Hydro now pays rebates on both solar panels and home batteries.
Local details →
Langley
Up to $10,000 back from BC Hydro
Langley covers both the City and the Township, from new subdivisions to farms with room for ground mounts. BC Hydro now pays rebates on both solar panels and home batteries.
Local details →
Abbotsford
Up to $10,000 back from BC Hydro
Abbotsford combines suburban homes with a big agricultural sector, where barn and shop roofs suit solar. BC Hydro now pays rebates on both solar panels and home batteries.
Local details →

Where do we install across the province?

Every town below has its own page with the local utility, rebates and a quick answer on whether solar pays there.

Metro Vancouver

BC Hydro across the Lower Mainland, from Surrey and Langley to Vancouver and Coquitlam.
Surrey
Burnaby
Coquitlam
Maple Ridge
Lions Bay
Richmond
Delta
Langley

Fraser Valley

Abbotsford and the valley east of Langley, on BC Hydro.
Abbotsford

Vancouver Island

Victoria to Campbell River, on BC Hydro.
Victoria
Saanich
Nanaimo
Campbell River

Interior BC & Okanagan

Kamloops and the Okanagan, where BC Hydro, FortisBC and city utilities share the map.
Kamloops
Penticton
Kelowna
Vernon

How it works

Four steps from your first call to making your own power.
1. Free estimate
Send us a recent power bill and your address. We look at your roof and your usage and send back a plain estimate.
2. Design and paperwork
We size the system, then handle rebate pre-approval, permits and your utility's connection application.
3. Install and inspection
Our crew installs the system, then it goes through the electrical inspection.
4. Switch on
Your utility sets up the meter and you start making your own power. We show you how to keep an eye on it.

Questions we hear here

Straight answers on rebates, connecting to the grid and what to expect.
What solar rebates and incentives are available in my province?
It depends on where you live. Ontario and BC offer up to $10,000 for solar and batteries, Alberta has CEIP financing, and Nova Scotia and New Brunswick rely on strong net metering. We track every program and date each figure.
What is permission to operate?
It's your utility's final approval to switch your system on and export to the grid. It comes after the electrical inspection, and we handle the request.
Should I add a battery to my solar system?
A battery makes sense if you want backup power, are on time-of-use or ultra-low overnight rates, or your province rewards self-consumption over export. Some rebates pay for batteries installed with solar.
Does solar work in Canadian winters and snow?
Yes. Panels produce less in winter because days are short, but cold temperatures improve efficiency and snow usually slides off. Annual estimates already account for winter.
Do I need permits and inspections, and who handles them?
Yes. Most projects need a building permit, an electrical permit and inspection, and utility approval. We handle all of them.
What are the steps to go solar with GriffEnergy?
Free assessment, custom design and proposal, choosing cash, financing or lease, rebate pre-approval and permits, installation, inspection and utility approval, then switch-on and monitoring.
Do you handle the rebate paperwork?
Yes. We prepare and submit rebate pre-approvals and claims, in the right order, so you don't lose eligibility.
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