Home electricity rates, rebates, sizing, batteries and every step from quote to switch-on.
How business power is billed, demand charges, the 30% federal credit and how a project runs.
How homes pay for power
Every Ontario utility charges the same electricity prices, set by the Ontario Energy Board each November 1. What changes from town to town is the delivery charge your local utility adds on top.
Solar makes the most power in the middle of the day, which lines up with mid-peak and on-peak hours on time-of-use. The bigger story is the ultra-low overnight plan: the gap between 3.9¢ overnight and 39.1¢ on-peak is what lets a home battery earn its keep in Ontario.
Our take
Pick your rate plan after you know your system design, not before. We model your last 12 months of usage on all three plans and show you which one wins with solar, and with solar plus a battery.
Sources · checked October 2026
The short version
Ontario homeowners can get up to $10,000 back on solar and a battery, but the rebate and net metering don't mix. You choose one path, and that choice decides your payback.
| Path | How it pays | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Home Renovation Savings rebate | Cash back up front; system set up to power your home (load displacement), not to export | Homes that use most power in the day, or adding a battery |
| Net metering | No rebate; exports earn bill credits that carry forward up to 12 months | Larger systems that send a lot back to the grid |
City financing
Toronto (HELP, up to $125,000) and Ottawa (Better Homes, up to $125,000 or 10% of home value) offer loans repaid through your property tax bill. They stack with the provincial rebate.
Pre-approval is required before you buy anything. Order equipment first and the rebate is gone.
Sources · checked October 2026
How business power is billed
Small businesses in Ontario pay the same regulated prices as homes. Larger accounts pay the market price plus the Global Adjustment, and that's where solar and batteries can change the bill most.
| Account size | Energy price | What else drives the bill |
|---|---|---|
| Small business (under 150,000 kWh/yr) | Regulated time-of-use or tiered prices | Delivery and regulatory charges |
| Class B (most larger accounts) | Hourly market price + Global Adjustment per kWh | Distribution demand charges ($/kW) |
| Class A (500 kW+ average peak, by sector; 1 MW+ opt-in; 5 MW+ automatic) | Market price; Global Adjustment based on your share of Ontario's top 5 peak hours | Peak demand factor, demand charges |
Before we size anything
We pull 12 months of interval data from your utility so the system is matched to your load and your rate class, not to the roof.
Sources · checked October 2026
For businesses, farms and non-profits
Ontario businesses pick between a Save on Energy incentive for load-displacement solar and net metering up to 500 kW. Incorporated businesses then layer the 30% federal tax credit on top.
Sources · checked October 2026
