Grants and Incentives – Residential

Thinking about going solar or adding a battery backup system to your home in 2025? You’re not alone—and there’s good news. Ontario homeowners can tap into valuable rebates, tax credits, and incentive programs to make the switch to clean energy more affordable than ever.

Whether you’re interested in solar panels, battery storage, or using your system for peak shaving (reducing your energy usage during expensive peak times), here’s what you need to know to save money while becoming more energy independent.

The Canada Greener Homes Grant program, launched to help homeowners make their properties more energy efficient, continues into 2025 with updates that include support for solar PV and battery storage.

What’s covered:

• Up to $5,000 in grants for eligible home retrofits, including solar panel installation and electrical upgrades to accommodate battery systems.

• An additional up to $600 to cover the cost of a pre- and post-retrofit EnerGuide home energy evaluation.

Eligibility:

• Must own and live in the home

• Must complete a pre-retrofit energy audit before starting work

• Work must be completed by an approved contractor

Tip: Solar and battery storage can both qualify if they help reduce your home’s carbon footprint and improve energy resilience.

While Ontario does not yet have a province-wide rebate specifically for home battery systems (like Tesla Powerwall or Enphase), some local utilities and municipalities offer pilot programs or incentives—especially when batteries are combined with solar or used for peak shaving.

Key benefits of home batteries:

• Keep lights, fridges, and critical systems running during power outages

• Reduce reliance on the grid during peak hours (when electricity is most expensive)

• Avoid time-of-use (TOU) rate hikes by using stored power in the evening

Watch for updates: Ontario’s growing push toward grid stability and renewable energy means battery incentives are expected to expand in the next 1–2 years.

Ontario uses a Time-of-Use (TOU) pricing model, which means the cost of electricity varies depending on when you use it. Prices are highest during peak hours (like weekday evenings) and lowest during off-peak times (overnight or weekends).

Installing battery backup or solar systems with energy management software lets you store cheap off-peak energy and use it during peak times, saving hundreds per year.

Bonus Tip: Smart systems that automatically handle this are eligible for inclusion under many energy-efficiency retrofit programs and may increase your home’s energy score.

Ontario’s net metering program allows you to feed excess solar electricity back into the grid and earn credits on your bill. If you produce more energy than you consume, those credits roll over for up to a year.

This is a key incentive for solar homeowners—and pairs perfectly with a battery system, which helps store your own energy when the sun isn’t shining.

While Ontario doesn’t yet offer personal tax credits specifically for solar, there are indirect tax benefits and financing tools to reduce upfront costs:

• Home Energy Loan Programs (HELP): Available in cities like Toronto and Ottawa, these allow you to finance solar and energy retrofits through low-interest property-tax–based loans.

• HST Exemptions: Some components or labor involved in energy-efficiency retrofits may be partially or fully exempt from HST, depending on how the system is structured.

• Green mortgages & rebates: Some banks offer better rates or cash rebates for homes with certified energy upgrades or solar installations.

Working with a certified energy contractor ensures you can stack all available incentives, avoid red tape, and get the most out of every dollar you invest.

With solar technology more affordable than ever and battery storage gaining ground, 2025 is a fantastic year for Ontario homeowners to go green—and save green.

At [Your Company Name], we specialize in designing smart energy systems that qualify for the latest rebates and deliver long-term savings. We’ll guide you through every step, from energy audits to final inspections.

Book your free consultation today and discover how easy (and rewarding) it can be to power your home with sunshine.