SOLAR Rebates and Incentives for Homeowners

Did you know that you are eligible for rebates of up to $4400 on a 1 panel system & $4900 on a 2 panel system?

We are here to help you navigate these programs. This is part of our full service to you.

There are 5 primary sources of funding available to help homeowners purchase and install solar thermal systems. Together these grants and incentives can add up to thousands of dollars of savings for you, so it is worth pursuing them. Below is a brief outline of each of the 5 main sources of funding . For more detailed information on each program you can follow the respective links to their main web pages.

1. ecoEnergy Retrofit Homes

 The federal ecoEnergy program offers $1250 for our 1 or 2 panel solar thermal system installed on existing homes through its ecoEnergy Retrofit – Homes program. In order to qualify for this rebate, you must hire an Energy Auditor to perform an Energy Audit on your house. The Energy Audit costs approx $150 + tax. 

Our 1 panel system is the only 1 collector CSA certified system in Canada to qualify for this $1250 ecoEnergy retrofit grant .  

Our 2 panel system has the highest energy rating for all CSA approved two-panel solar domestic hot water systems.

More detailed information on the federal ecoEnergy Retrofit – Homes program can be found at : http://www.ecoaction.gc.ca/ECOENERGY-ECOENERGIE/retrofithomes-renovationmaisons-eng.cfm

Attention! You must have the ecoEnergy Audit performed BEFORE your solar system is installed in order to qualify for the Eco Energy rebate. This program is increasing in popularity and energy auditors are sometimes booked several weeks or even several months in advance. The sooner you book your audit, the sooner you qualify and the sooner we can come install your system.

If you decide you do not want to arrange the energy audit then you will still be eligible for the 15% Provincial rebate( see below).

Here is a list of companies that perform the Energy Audits . You can search the ecoEnergy website for a more detailed list.

ACAP Cape Breton (902) 567-1628

S.H.E. consultants (877-722-2842) www.sustainablehousing.ca

Clean Nova Scotia (902) 420-3474 or 1-800-665-5377 toll free.

Amerispec (902) 469-1119

Ridge Energy Consultants Inc (902) 576-3079 or 1-877-505-6363

2. Conserve NS - Solar Water Heater Rebate Program-

The NS provincial government offers a 15% rebate on the cost of an installed Solar Thermal system through its Conserve NS –Solar Water Heating Rebate Program . An Energy Audit is not required, but you must submit an application form in order to qualify.

More detailed information on the Solar Water Heating Rebate program can be found at:

 http://www.conservens.ca/rebates/solar-hot-water-heating.asp

3. Nova Scotia Power Rebates -  

Nova Scotia power offers a $1250 rebate towards the installation of a solar domestic water heating system  on buildings with electric water heaters. This rebate is administered in conjunction with Conserve NS's Energuide program and the federal ecoEnergy - Retrofit Homes program. It requires the same energy audit as listed above in the ecoEnergy Retrofit Homes section (see 1. above) .

The rebate is available for existing homes and some small businesses.

 In order to qualify for this rebate, you must hire an Energy Auditor to perform an Energy Audit on your house. The Energy Audit costs approx $150 + tax.. See the ecoEnergy Retrofit Homes section (see 1. above) .        

http://www.nspower.ca/en/home/energyefficiency/programs/energuidenew/nsprebates.aspx

4.   15% Federal Tax Rebate 

The federal government is offering a 15% Tax Credit, through its Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC) on expenses incurred in relation to a renovation or alteration to your principal residence. This credit applies to the purchase and installation of solar thermal systems. The maximum tax credit you can receive is $1350 (or 15%  of [$10,000 -$1000]  worth of expenses) . This tax credit is only available for the 2009 tax year , which means that expenses incurred must be done during the 2009 tax year.

More detailed information on the Home Renovation Tax Credit can be found at:

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/sgmnts/hmwnr/hrtc/menu-eng.html

5. $5000 Interest Free Loan

The NS provincial government offers up to $5,000 in interest-free loans through its Energuide for Houses –Heat Smart - Zero Interest Loans program.

These interest-free loans are available to Nova Scotians participating in the Nova Scotia EnerGuide for Houses/ecoENERGY program. The loan must be used for energy efficiency upgrades and is repayable over five years. You do need to prove that you've done the work in order to receive the loan, but the terms are more favorable than most other forms of credit.

More detailed information on the Heat Smart -Zero Interest Loan program can be found at :

 http://www.conservens.ca/heat-smart-zero-interest.asp                       

New Construction:

$500 Rebate

The NS provincial government offers up to $500 in rebates for new construction through its Nova Scotia EnerGuide for New Houses Program.

 More detailed information on the EnerGuide for new houses program can be found at:

http://www.conservens.ca/energuide/new-homes/default.asp

http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/new-houses.cfm?attr=4

New Construction also qualifies for the 15% provincial rebate on the cost of an installed Solar Thermal systemthrough its Conserve NS –Solar Water Heating Rebate program . An Energy Audit is not required, but you must submit an application form in order to qualify. See above (#2) for more details.

More detailed information on the Solar Water Heating Rebate program can be found at:

 http://www.conservens.ca/rebates/solar-hot-water-heating.asp

Nova Scotia power offers a $1250 rebate towards the installation of a solar domestic water heating system  on new homes with electric water heaters that have an Energuide rating of 80 and above. This rebate is administered in conjunction with Conserve NS's Energuide program and the federal ecoEnergy - Retrofit Homes program.

More detailed information on this program can be found at:

http://www.nspower.ca/en/home/energyefficiency/programs/energuidenew/nsprebates.aspx

Contact us for a FREE SOLAR ASSESSMENT

***Please note that these grants are administered by various government departments, not Appleseed Energy Inc.. Appleseed Energy makes no guarantee as to the availability of these grants. Programs and grants can be changed or cancelled at any time without notice. The sooner you apply, the more likely you are to receive them.