As noted in the July 3rd newsletter, BC Hydro released an Energy Efficiency Plan last month that included a proposed rebate program for solar panels and building batteries. This program was launched on July 23rd, and includes rebates “… for customers installing smaller scale solar and/or battery systems …,” (i.e., ≤ 100 kW systems) in apartment buildings, single-family/duplex homes, and townhomes as well as small and medium businesses.  

To qualify for the rebates, customers must “Have an active BC Hydro account and be on an eligible rate code,” and be the “Registered owner of the property.” For stratas, builders can initiate the process, but the application must be completed by strata corporations. The solar panels and batteries must be fixed to the property and be “Connected to a bi-directional communicating smart meter.” Customers would also need to participate in BC Hydro’s net-metering (now called the self-generation) program, so the solar panels would need to be connected to the BC Hydro grid. 

The rebates will only be offered for new installations of solar panels and batteries. However, there is some retroactive eligibility. Please see the slide deck on the program for further details. The slides also include information on the application process and FAQs. For builders, BC Hydro recommends contacting them as soon as possible in the development review process.  

The rebates are as follows: 

Customers can apply for rebates for solar panels, batteries, or both. In addition, the BC Hydro rebates can be stacked with rebates from other programs. However, the BC Hydro “Rebate cannot exceed 50% of total installed product cost (including labour and materials),” and the stacked rebates cannot exceed 100% of the costs of the total installed product cost.  

If you have further questions, please see the BC Hydro contact information below: 

• For questions around our self-generation program and rates (formerly net metering program): self.generation@bchydro.com; and 
• For questions on the residential solar battery offer: solarrebates@bchydro.com.  

July 3rd, 2024

On June 27th, the Province released Powering Our Future: BC’s Clean Energy Strategy, “… which outlines the actions government is taking to accelerate the shift to clean energy …,” to meet their net zero energy goals by 2050. 

It is acknowledged in the Strategy that “Replacing fossil fuels with a mix of clean and low-carbon energy sources will require a massive expansion of clean energy infrastructure. It could require a doubling of the province’s capacity to generate electricity by 2050 ...”. By 2030, it is estimated that demand for BC Hydro electricity will be grow by 15% or more – “…due to population growth and housing construction, increased industrial development across sectors and more homes and businesses switching from fossil fuels to clean electricity, among other factors.” 

To address the challenge, the Strategy includes a number of actions, including: 

• A three year $700 million Energy Efficiency Plan (see below); 
• “conducting regular, competitive calls for power every two years …,” 
• Providing economic opportunities for First Nations;  
• Increasing the renewable fuels target for British Columbia from 1.3 billion litres to 1.5 billion litres by 2030;  
• Undertaking “… an independent net zero pathway assessment – a comprehensive study of all the credible pathways for achieving a net zero economy by 2050;” and 
• “streamlining upgrades and new customer connections to BC Hydro’s electricity grid to support the construction of new housing developments ...”. 

For the latter point, it is noted that earlier this year, the Government committed $36 billion to BC Hydro infrastructure investments – including “More than $5 billion to support new customer connections, particularly in high growth communities across the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.” This is critical given that customer connection requests have increased by 36% over the past four years.  

The Strategy also outlines BC Hydro’s upcoming BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) “… application to update its Distribution Extension Policy to eliminate system improvement costs for all new customers (except in extraordinary circumstances) and to increase BC Hydro’s maximum contribution to offsetting extension costs.” (please see previous newsletters). In addition, BC Hydro will be “… reaching out to municipalities to work more closely on building out the needed infrastructure to connect new housing to the electricity grid in response to current and projected demand that is at historic high levels.” 

Please see the news release for the Clean Energy Strategy (and Energy Efficiency Plan). 

As part of the Clean Energy Strategy (see above), BC Hydro also released an Energy Efficiency Plan - Power Smarter: Enhancing Energy Efficiency to Support British Columbians. It includes over $700 million of investments over the next three years, and is estimated to provide “… up to 2,000 gigawatt hours of savings, which is the equivalent of powering 200,000 homes,” by 2030.  

Under the Plan, BC Hydro will be seeking to reduce electricity demand, shifting energy use to off-peak times and utilizing self-generation (net-metering) that allows “… residential and commercial customers to generate their own electricity using renewable-energy systems such as solar panels or wind turbines, and receive credits for any excess energy they produce.” BC Hydro will be utilizing rebates, incentives, education programs, new technologies, and utility-scale batteries (energy-storage systems). The investments will be broken down as follows: 

• “Residential - $60 million; 
• Income qualified, social housing and Indigenous programs - $80 million; 
• Commercial - $120 million; 
• Industrial - $130 million; 
• Demand response - $110 million; 
• Solar and batteries - $100 million; 
• Portfolio Initiatives - $100 million.” 

The expenditures for solar and batteries includes a new rebate program for, “… the installation of eligible solar panels and energy-storage batteries for customers …: 

• For homes, it’s as much as $5,000 in rebates for installing an eligible solar photovoltaic (PV) system, and $5,000 for an eligible battery-storage system for homes. 
• For apartment buildings, small business and other organizations, it’s as much as $75,000 in rebates for solar, and as much as $75,000 for batteries depending on the individual customer.”  

Details on the solar/batteries rebate program will be released later this month. BC Hydro will also be going to the BCUC to update its net-metering program (now called the self-generation program).     

There will also be a new offering for existing apartment buildings that will include “… access to Energy Advisors, integrated Whole Building Assessments including building recommissioning, and project incentives for things such as in-suite heat-pumps and upgrades of common area lighting 

and controls, building envelope and windows.”