Despite the many benefits of building your own independent power system, upfront installation costs might delay the purchase of such a system for some.

Fortunately, there are a wide range of federal, state and local programs that can substantially reduce these costs in the form of tax credits, rebates, grants & loans.

Please visit the links below for more details on incentives programs which might be available to you in your area:

Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE USA):
DSIRE is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and selected federal incentives that promote renewable energy.

Directory of Energy Efficiency and Alternative Energy Programs in Canada

Federal Government Solar Incentives

ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat program

Incentives are offered to the industrial/commercial/institutional sector to install active energy-efficient solar air and/or water heating systems.

ecoENERGY Retrofit Incentive for Buildings

Natural Resources Canada's (NRCan's) ecoENERGY Retrofit program provides financial support to homeowners, small and medium-sized businesses, public institutions and industrial facilities to help them implement energy saving projects that reduce energy-related greenhouse gases (GHGs) and air pollution, thereby contributing to a cleaner environment for all Canadians.

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Provincial / Territorial Government Solar Incentives

British Columbia

Energy Conservation Sales Tax Exemptions

The Province of BC provides provincial sales tax (PST) exemptions on solar energy equipment.

SolarBC's new incentives for new homes program

Builders and developers who install solar hot water on new homes are now eligible to receive a $1,000 discount. The discount is currently available for installations carried out before March 31, 2009.

LiveSmart BC: Efficiency Incentive Program

Choose to take advantage of B.C.'s new home energy efficiency incentives.

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Alberta

The Province of Alberta currently has no solar incentives in place.

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Saskatchewan

Energy Star Rebate for New Homes

Saskatchewan residents who build or purchase a newly constructed ENERGY STAR qualified or R-2000 home are now eligible to receive up to $2,400 in rebates. This includes $1,000 rebate for the installation of a solar domestic hot water heating system.

Saskatchewan EnerGuide for Houses Retrofit Grant Program

The Government of Saskatchewan has extended and enhanced the Saskatchewan EnerGuide for Houses retrofit grant program until March 31, 2011. Individuals who qualify under this new program also qualify for the ecoENERGY Retrofit Initiative introduced by the Federal government on April 1, 2007. This allows existing homes which install a solar domestic hot water heating system to receive a combined $1,500 from the Saskatchewan government as well as the Federal ecoEnergy program.

Solar Heating Initiative for Today (SHIFT)

The SHIFT program provides funding for new solar water heating systems to large, non-residential consumers of hot water in Saskatchewan. The program is available for businesses, industries, multiple-unit residential buildings over three stories, public institutions such as hospitals and schools, and municipal and provincial facilities. The SHIFT incentive matches the ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat incentive level combining to provide up to 50 % of eligible project costs.

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Manitoba

The Province of Manitoba currently has no solar incentives in place.

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Ontario

Go Solar Ontario

"Go Solar Ontario, is a market transformation campaign that provides Ontario residents with the information and links they require to install solar energy systems to heat water or generate electricity.

Home Energy Retrofit Program

To help homeowners save energy, save money and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Ontario government has created the Ontario Home Energy Retrofit Program. More than $1300 in available Federal and Provincial incentives is available for the installation of a solar domestic hot water system.

Ontario Solar Thermal Heating Incentive (OSTHI)

OSTHI is an Ontario Government program that provides an incentive by way of a rebate to Ontario organizations in the commercial, industrial or institutional (ICI) sectors which install a qualifying solar water or solar air heating system.

OPA Electricity Retrofit Incentive Program (Commercial)

The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) through the Every Kilowatt Counts initiative has developed a commercial incentive program.

Retrofitting an existing facility with newer equipment is natural business practise. Commercial building owners/tenants can retrofit their building with solar hot water heaters and other electricity saving equipment and receive a rebate from the OPA.

Ontario PST rebate on renewable installations

The Ontario government is extending the retail sales tax rebate on qualifying renewable equipment to January 1, 2010 to encourage the use of solar and other renewable technologies. The program provides a full rebate on the PST paid for renewable equipment used for the installation of a solar, wind, micro hydro-electric or geothermal system, or enhancement to an existing system. Only residential households or residential builders are eligible for this rebate.

Pilot Financing for Residential Renewable Energy

Residents in Peel Region and part of York Region are eligible for zero interest loans up to $50,000, or rebates, for the installation of alternative and renewable energy technologies in their homes, under a pilot program called PowerHouse, funded by the Government of Ontario and operated by Hydro One and Enersource. Residents of Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon and parts of York Region are eligible. Both PV and solar thermal projects are eligible under this program. Projects must be completed by Feb. 15, 2009.

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Quebec

Energy Efficiency Fund

The Energy Efficiency Fund offers substantial additional financial assistance over and above what is offered by Natural Resources Canada through the ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat.

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New Brunswick

Existing Homes Energy Efficiency Upgrades Program

The program is designed to provide New Brunswick owners of single-family homes with financial assistance to make their houses more energy-efficient in order to conserve energy. This program works in partnership with the Federal ecoENERGY Retrofit Program which will provide a $500 rebate after installing a certified solar hot water heating system.

Some of the incentives which this program provides include;

Efficiency NB will subsidize the cost of Natural Resource Canada’s residential energy assessment service by $400. The cost to you depends on the size of your home, starting at $50 for a house up to 2000 ft² (including basement). Efficiency NB will then provide a grant of 20% of eligible upgrade costs to a maximum of $2,000 or an interest-free loan of up to $10,000 to eligible New Brunswick homeowners who make energy efficiency upgrades to their home as recommended in their ecoENERGY Initial evaluation report.

Energy Smart Commercial Building Retrofit Incentive Program

The Energy Smart Commercial Buildings Retrofit Program provides financial incentives of up to $3,000 towards an evaluation to determine the potential for energy efficiency upgrades in a commercial building and a maximum of $50,000 towards the energy retrofitting project costs.

Start Smart New Commercial Building Retrofit Incentive Program

Start Smart - New Commercial Buildings Incentive Program provides financial incentives of up to $60,000 to offset the costs associated with designing sustainable high efficiency buildings based on estimated annual energy savings.

The incentive for an eligible building that meets the criteria is calculated as a one-time financial incentive.

The building must be modeled in reference to the Model National Energy Code for Buildings – 1997 (MNECB) to determine the estimated annual energy cost avoidance, and have achieved a performance of 30% or better than the minimum requirements.

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Nova Scotia

Solar Hot Water & Solar Hot Air Rebate

Conserve Nova Scotia provides a 15 % rebate of the installed cost of a solar water heating and air heating systems for residential, institutional, industrial or commercial use. The maximum provincial rebate is $20,000.

Residential Solar Hot Water Rebate - Energuide for Homes

Homeowners that take part in the Energuide program will have the option of receiving one Provincial solar water heating rebate:

1. The 15% rebate on the installed cost of the system + the $500 Federal rebate,
2. OR $500 Energuide matching Provincial rebate + the $500 Federal rebate.

* In most cases homeowners will get a higher overall rebate if they choose option #1.

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Prince Edward Island

Renewable Heat Loan Program

Available to all homeowners, this program provides loans to assist in the installation of renewable energy equipment in Island homes. Eligible systems include solar air and solar domestic hot water systems. The Renewable Energy Loan Program provides loans up to $10,000 at an annual interest rate of six per cent – depending on the amount borrowed, applicants will pay between $90 and $150 per month until the loan principal and interest are paid off.

Sales Tax Exemption

There is a PST exemption on small-scale renewable energy equipment with a rating of 100 kilowatts or less (100 kilowatts = 340,000 BTUs).

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Newfoundland Labrador

The Province of Newfoundland Labrador currently has no solar incentives in place.

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Yukon

Good Energy Program

The Government of Yukon does not offer any solar incentives however they do provide energy efficiency incentives and also coordinates an Energuide for Homes program in conjunction with the Federal Government. This program offers a $500 rebate for the installation of a qualified solar hot water heating system.

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Northwest Territories

Energy Efficiency Incentive Program (EEIP)

EEIP matches grants from Natural Resources Canada’s ecoENERGY Retrofit Program (an additional $500 rebate for installation of a qualified solar hot water heating system), which provides grants based on Home Audits recommendations for homeowners who make their homes more energy efficient.

Small Renewable Energy Fund

The Small Renewable Energy Fund is available to assist residential homeowners that want to incorporate commercially available, clean energy technologies into their home for the production of electricity.

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Nunavut

The Government of Nunavut does not offer any solar incentives.

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