VANCOUVER- New BC Hydro rebates are now available of up to$5,000on eligible grid-connected solar panels and up to an additional$5,000for battery storage systems to qualifying residential customers.

These rebates will make it easier for British Columbians to generate their own power, reduce their bills and deliver clean energy back to the province’s electricity grid.

‘We need more clean energy to power our homes, businesses and industries, to power a growing economy and to power our future,’ saidJosie 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.’

About 9,500 British Columbians are already part of BC Hydro’s Self-Generation Program (previously net metering), harnessing the power of the sun to generate their own renewable energy, which is a good option for those looking to gain energy independence and lower their electricity bills. Battery storage allows customers to store their excess renewable energy to power their homes on cloudy days, overnight or in the event of a power outage. Residents can install solar panels or a battery – or both – to maximize the value of their project and their rebate.

To be eligible for rebates, customers must participate in our Self-Generation Program and enrol in the Self-Generation Rate. Any excess generation will be credited to them on the next bill, and this power can be used to serve other customers and businesses. If customers still have generation credits on their anniversary date (March 1), BC Hydro will pay them for the excess electricity at market price.

‘BC Hydro is committed to supporting the energy transition as British Columbians look to power homes and businesses with more clean electricity,’ saidChris O’Riley, President and CEO of BC Hydro. ‘We are excited for the first time ever to offer rebates for eligible solar panels and battery storage systems, allowing our customers to lower their energy bills, generate their own renewable electricity and store excess energy to use when and how they want. Adding more renewable generation and storage options also helps the overall electricity system by reducing demand from the grid.’

BC Hydro is also offering targeted rebates to schools, apartment buildings, municipal government and community centres, small businesses, social housing providers and Indigenous communities. These rebates range from up to$50,000to$150,000based on the individual customer.

These rebates are one of many actions BC Hydro is taking to support its customers and provide more choices in its new Energy Efficiency Plan – a key action to meet the growing demand for electricity. Over the next three years, BC Hydro is investing over$700 millionin tools, technology and programs for customers to encourage more energy efficient choices. This is a 60 per cent increase over previous budgets and adds up to about 2,000 gigawatt hours of savings, which is the equivalent of powering 200,000 homes. As more people look to switch from fossil fuels to cleaner, renewable sources of power, these programs will help BC Hydro’s customers save more than$80 million, deferring the need for additional capital infrastructure and offering added flexibility to the BC Hydro system.

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