Resources on renewable energy
Incentives for Residents
ecoENERGY Retrofit program (Residential)
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) is offering a new residential energy efficiency assessment service to owners of single family homes, including detached, semi-detached and low-rise multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) that are no more than three storeys high. Incentives up to $1250 will be given for a solar hot water system.
More information: www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/retrofit-homes/retrofit-qualify-grant.cfm?attr=4#eligible
PST Exemption for Materials and Equipment Used to Conserve Energy
(both residential and commercial tax payers)
The following renewable energy generating materials and equipment are exempt from provincial sales tax (Social Service Tax):
wind-powered generating equipment; solar photovoltaic collector panels; solar thermal collector panels; and micro-hydro turbines and generators rated up to 150 kilowatts.
In most cases, associated and necessary components of these systems, such as wiring, controllers, inverters, pumps, tubing and intake pipes (but not batteries) are also tax-exempt when purchased as part of the systems.
More info: www.sbr.gov.bc.ca
SolarBC (Residential buyers only)
The SolarBC Residential Project can only offer incentives for systems installed by registered contractors. This is to help promote industry development, high quality system and installation standards and to support high levels of customer service delivery to householders.
SolarBC will provide incentives for solar hot water installations in residential homes and will also incorporate best practice and training and education initiatives to ensure suitably qualified installer capacity is in place to help transform the solar hot water market in British Columbia. Incentives up to $2000 will be given at a point of sale discount.
More information: www.solarbc.ca
Incentives for Commercial installations
ecoENERGY for Renewable Power (Commercial)
ecoENERGY for Renewable Power will invest $1.48 billion to increase Canada's supply of clean electricity from renewable sources such as wind, biomass, low-impact hydro, geothermal, solar photovoltaic and ocean energy. It will encourage the production of 14.3 terrawatt hours of new electricity from renewable energy sources, enough electricity to power about one million homes.
Who is eligible?
Businesses, municipalities, institutions and organizations are eligible.
Are there financial incentives?
ecoENERGY for Renewable Power will provide an incentive of one cent per kilowatt-hour for up to 10 years to eligible low-impact, renewable electricity projects constructed over the next four years, April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2011.
More information: ecoaction.gc.ca/ecoenergy-ecoenergie/power-electricite/index-eng.cfm
ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat (Commercial)
ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat will offer an incentive to industrial, commercial and institutional purchasers of solar heating systems. The incentive will rebate 25 percent of the purchase, installation and certain other costs of qualifying systems.
Who is eligible for incentives?
Businesses, industries and public institutions are eligible.
More information: ecoaction.gc.ca/ecoenergy-ecoenergie/heat-chauffage/index-eng.cfm
PST Exemption for Materials and Equipment Used to Conserve Energy
(both residential and commercial tax payers)
The following renewable energy generating materials and equipment are exempt from provincial sales tax (Social Service Tax):
wind-powered generating equipment; solar photovoltaic collector panels; solar thermal collector panels; and micro-hydro turbines and generators rated up to 150 kilowatts.
In most cases, associated and necessary components of these systems, such as wiring, controllers, inverters, pumps, tubing and intake pipes (but not batteries) are also tax-exempt when purchased as part of the systems.
More info: www.sbr.gov.bc.ca
