FOR the first time, BC Hydro will provide rebates for the installation of rooftop solar and battery-storage systems, making it easier for people and businesses to generate their own electricity, reduce their energy bills and deliver clean energy back to the electricity grid.
The new program supports the Province’s new clean-energy strategy that was released Thursday, June 27, 2024. The strategy focuses on building an economy powered by clean energy, creating new jobs and opportunities, and keeping electricity affordable.
“We need more clean energy to power our homes, businesses and industries, to power a growing economy and to power our future,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. “British Columbians are up for the challenge. That’s why we are providing new BC Hydro rebates for rooftop solar panels and battery storage so that more people across the province can generate electricity, save on their energy bills and help build a clean economy.”
Eligible homeowners can receive BC Hydro rebates totalling as much as $10,000 for installing a qualified solar photovoltaic (PV) system and battery-storage system together. BC Hydro will also be rolling out targeted rebates for apartment buildings, schools, community organizations, local governments, small businesses, social-housing providers and Indigenous communities, which could go up to $50,000 to $150,000 based on the individual customer.
The rebates will be available later in July.
In addition to helping BC Hydro customers save on their energy bills, adding more renewable generation and storage options helps strengthen the overall electricity system by reducing demand on the grid.
Providing solar rebates is part of Powering Our Future: B.C.’s Clean Energy Strategy, which outlines the actions government is taking to accelerate the shift to clean energy and create new opportunities for people and businesses throughout British Columbia, including:
* investing more than $700 million in BC Hydro energy-efficiency programs over the next three years – a 60% increase from BC Hydro’s last energy-efficiency budget – to help people and businesses waste less energy and save approximately $80 million every year starting in 2026;
* streamlining upgrades and new customer connections to BC Hydro’s electricity grid to support the construction of new housing developments in growing communities;
* conducting regular, competitive calls for power every two years to ensure B.C. has the clean electricity it needs as the economy and population continue to grow, and is preparing for a future where electricity use needs double by 2050; and
* increasing the target for renewable fuels produced in B.C. to 1.5 billion litres per year by 2030, to ensure B.C. continues to attract investment and remains a leader in new industries, such as hydrogen and biofuels.
“By ramping up B.C.’s production of clean energy and using it more efficiently, we can drive economic growth for communities all over the province and ensure households, businesses and industries can power up with clean energy, from renewable electricity like wind and solar to biofuels, hydrogen and renewable natural gas,” Osborne said. “This will not only help fight climate change that threatens our communities, it is one of the job-creation opportunities of our generation.”
The strategy builds on activities already underway to meet the growing demand for affordable, clean energy and to get that energy to people and businesses when and where they need it. These include BC Hydro’s current competitive call for power – the first in more than 15 years – and its updated 10-year capital plan, which include approximately $40 billion in capital investments and will create as many as 14,000 construction jobs annually. The B.C. Hydrogen Strategy is also designed to attract investment in clean-hydrogen projects, such as HTEC’s recently announced $900-million H2 Gateway project to build a provincewide network of fuelling stations and production facilities.
Quick Facts:
* Currently, 98% of the power generated for B.C.’s integrated grid comes from clean or renewable resources, making B.C. a leader in North America when it comes to clean energy.
* B.C. has the second-lowest residential electricity rates in North America, and the third-lowest commercial and industrial rates.
* There are approximately 50 proposed projects in the hydrogen sector in B.C., ranging from large-scale production facilities to hydrogen-fuelling stations and heavy-duty trucking pilots representing billions in potential investment.
* Agreements are now in place under the BC Low Carbon Fuel Standard to support the production of approximately 840 million litres of renewable fuels per year by 2026.​
Learn More:
To read Powering Our Future: B.C.’s Clean Energy Strategy, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/
To learn more about BC Hydro’s new rebates for solar panels and battery systems, visit:Â https://www.bchydro.com/
