What is the Change Homes for Climate – Solar Program?

The City of Edmonton is helping Edmontonians install solar systems on their homes to produce renewable energy.

The City is offering Edmonton homeowners $0.40/watt towards the cost of the system, which covers approximately 15% of the costs of going solar! Rebate stacking is allowed with Canada’s Greener Homes Grant program up to a maximum of 100% of the total investment made by the homeowner.

Newly constructed homes and residential buildings are also eligible for a City of Edmonton rebate of $0.30/watt.

Generating local renewable energy is one of the most impactful ways of taking action on climate change.

See the program Terms & Conditions for full eligibility criteria. Applications can be submitted via the program portal.

Program Status

As of May 8, 2023, the City of Edmonton Change Homes for Climate Solar Program has invested an additional $1.96 million in rebates to incentivize residential solar installations. As a result, the application portal has been reopened and is now accepting new applications.

Here are some important details to keep in mind:

Please review the Program Terms & Conditions for full eligibility criteria, including a pre-installation EnerGuide evaluation and interconnection approval from the wire service provider, signed within one year of Part II application submission.
Applications already on the program waitlist will be prioritized and processed based on the order they were received.
System owners that were unable to participate in the program when it reached capacity on September 2, 2022, and who have since gone through with their installation, can now submit a rebate application as long as systems are still within the one-year window of their interconnection approval date and all other standard program eligibility requirements are met.

Total Solar Program Rebate Funds Committed

84% of the rebate budget has been committed to Part I applications out of the total $6,000,000 program rebate budget.

Total Number of Solar Program Participants

1,604

Current as of May 31, 2023.
While these numbers are updated monthly, they do not guarantee that rebate funds will be available. Applications are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis until the funds are fully subscribed. Participants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Why Participate?

Turn your home into a tiny power plant.

With 2,300 hours of sun in an average year, Edmonton is one of the sunniest cities in Canada. Solar panels can supply anywhere from a few percent up to 100% of your electricity, and while electricity only accounts for 16% of the energy used in Edmonton, it produces around 40% of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

With rooftop solar, you’re not just protecting yourself from the ups and downs of energy prices, you’re reducing the carbon footprint of your home and your community.

How to Participate and get the Rebate

Work with a qualified solar provider to take advantage of existing residential rebates.

1 Hire a qualified Energy Advisor to complete a pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation. Choose one from this list and be sure to tell them you are interested in solar. Learn more here.

2 Hire a qualified solar provider listed on the Solar Providers Directory of either the Solar Energy Society of Alberta or the Canadian Renewable Energy Association. If you need help choosing the right one for you, view these further resources:

3 Your installer will be able to answer all of your questions about:

the economics of solar for your home
the technical aspects of how your system will work
the most up-to-date information about available rebates and eligibility

4 Your installer will take care of all approvals, permits and claiming your rebates. Most often they will submit your application on your behalf to the program portal.

All EnerGuide labels will be shared on Edmonton’s Home Energy Map. If you have more questions, please view the Program Terms & Conditions or the FAQ page.

You can also contact the program administrators by emailing solar@edmonton.ca or calling 1 (587) 287-1903.

Another useful tool is this solar potential map. See the solar potential of your home, including estimates of the environmental and financial benefits of going solar.