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New & Press Release:

Solar Government Rebates

The government has many incentive programs that can assist who qualify when they install solar water heating.

Our solar consultant will provide you with the necessary application forms and assist you throughout the application process.

Solar Water Heater Incentives
More than $1,300 in provincial and federal incentives is available to homeowners that install a solar water heater.

Homes must undergo a residential energy efficiency assessment by a licensed energy auditor to be eligible for grants.

Ontario currently offers $150 toward the cost of a home energy audit. The auditor completes the paperwork to apply for the grants and submits it on behalf of the homeowner.

For installations recommended by the audit, homeowners can receive up to $5,000 in grants from the Province, which match federal grants. In the case of a solar water heater, Ontario offers a grant of $500, which matches the $500 federal grant.

The Province also provides a rebate of the provincial sales tax on qualifying solar (and other renewable) energy systems.

Ontario’s program is based on eligibility for the federal ecoENERGY Retrofit program managed by Natural Resources Canada. To find out more about the ecoENERGY Retrofit program, including incentives, qualified energy auditors, and how to apply, visit the Natural Resources Canada Web site.

To review a list of Frequently Asked Questions about home energy retrofits and incentives, visit the Ministry of Energy Web site.

If you have had an energy audit of your home in the past, through the EnerGuide program or other, you need to have another audit to qualify for this incentive, and all incentives associated with the new ecoENERGY Retrofit program.

Total estimated costs and rebates of over $1,300 are summarized below.

Estimated Costs
	Solar water heater: $5,000 - $6,000
	Home energy audit: $300
	Building permit: varies by municipality
Rebates
	Ontario home energy audit rebate: $150 (Ontario pays 50 per cent of cost, up to $150)
	Ontario PST rebate: $170 - $204
	Ontario rebate: $500
	Federal rebate: $500
Total rebates: $1320 to $1354

How to Get Money Back
To access the available provincial and federal incentives, follow these steps:

Book a Home Energy Retrofit audit. A list of approved auditors is available at the Natural Resources Canada Web site. The Ontario government will automatically reimburse you for 50% of the cost, up to $150, following your audit.
Select and install your solar water heater. The Ontario Government has extended the retail sales tax rebate on qualifying solar equipment, saving you approximately $200.
Complete your verification audit. The auditor completes your application to receive your federal and provincial grants.

For more details, visit the Ontario Ministry of Energy Web site.
Energy and Greenhouse Gas Savings
A typical family of four will also save approximately 2700 kWh or $325 per year by supplementing their electric water heater with a solar water heater. If the solar water heater is supplementing a gas water heater, the savings would be $200 per year.
Annual estimated GHG reductions would be 600 kg if supplementing an electric water heater, or 760 kg if supplementing a gas water heater.

Source: http://www.gosolarontario.ca/en/incentives_gs.asp

Financing Options:

About Zero-Interest Loans or Rebates

Now it’s easier than ever to buy and install a renewable energy system for your home. Enersource Hydro Mississauga, Hydro One Networks and Hydro One Brampton Networks are proud to offer zero-interest loans* or rebates through the PowerHouse program.

Customer benefits of PowerHouse Loan

Interest free loans to help you overcome the upfront cost of converting to "Renewable Energy"
Save thousands of dollars in interest costs with zero-interest loans* – only the principal amount needs to be re-paid
Convenient access to financing from your kitchen table
Financing amounts from $2,000 up to $50,000
Amortization periods of up to 120 months (depending on loan amount)
No lien on residence – loans are totally unsecured
Quick credit decisions
No down payment requirement
No hidden application fees
Monthly payments as low as $25
Flexible repayment options – loans can be repaid in full or partial without penalty
Payment through direct debit from customers' Canadian financial institution account

Who Qualifies

To qualify for a PowerHouse zero-interest loan* or rebate you must:

Be a customer of Enersource Hydro Mississauga, Hydro One Networks or Hydro One Brampton Networks
Install the system in a home in Brampton, Mississauga, Caledon, or parts of York Region (King Township, East Gwillimbury, Georgina or Whitchurch-Stouffville) – View map (222KB PDF)
Purchase an eligible renewable technology
Have it installed by February 15, 2009
Submit a PowerHouse loan or rebate application through your utility

Zero-interest loans* are available to qualified customers from a financial institution designated by the participating utility program partners.
$2,000-$5,000
$5,001-$20,000
$20,001-$50,000
up to 3 year repayment term
2 to 5 year repayment term
4 to 10 year repayment term

Maybe you’d prefer a rebate instead of a loan. PowerHouse offers rebates to eligible customers.
Rebates are available to customers in the PowerHouse territory who have installed the eligible renewable technologies between June 20 2007 and February 15, 2009.

PowerHouse Rebate structure:

10% rebate
15% rebate
20% rebate
on first $5,000 of project cost (minimum project cost is $2,000)
on next $15,000 of project cost (ie. from $5,000 to $20,000)
on next $30,000 of project cost (ie. from $20,000 to $50,000)

Rebate Examples:

Based on this structure, here are some examples of rebates that would be paid out based on various project costs:

a $5,000 project would receive a rebate of $500
a $10,000 project would receive a rebate of $1,250
a $20,000 project would receive a rebate of $2,750
a $40,000 project would receive a rebate of $6,750

Not sure if a rebate or a loan is best for you? Use our calculator (20KB XLS) to determine the best financing solution for you!

Steps for installing a renewable system and applying for a loan:

Note: Steps 1 - 8 are the same for a loan or a rebate.

Contact one or more eligible installers.
Ensure site assessment is completed (if required).
Select a technology to be installed.
Get price quotes and timing estimates.
Select an eligible installer.
Ensure all required permits and approvals are obtained.
Complete the Customer Application Form.
Receive your acceptance from utility.
Bank is notified of the eligible customer by the utility.
Customer receives Bank Loan Application Form from installer and completes it.
Installer provides loan application to bank.
Customer receives loan decision from bank through installer.
Customer purchases and installs system (no later than February 15, 2009).
Notification of work completion submitted to bank (no later than February 22, 2009).

You may send completed forms to your utility company.

Steps for installing a renewable system and applying for a rebate:

Note: Steps 1 - 8 are the same for a loan or a rebate.

Contact one or more installers.***
Ensure site assessment is completed (if required).
Select a technology to be installed.
Get price quotes and timing estimates.
Select an eligible installer.
Ensure all required permits and approvals are obtained.
Complete the Customer Application Form.
Receive your acceptance from utility.
Customer purchases and installs system (no later than February 15, 2009).
Customer gets contractor to sign a Completion of Work Form and submits to utility (no later than February 22, 2009).
Customer receives a rebate in accordance with the rebate schedule.

You may send completed forms to your utility company.
*** If you are applying for a PowerHouse rebate, you do not need to use a PowerHouse eligible installer. However we recommend that you refer to the requirements of any other rebates or incentives that you intend to apply for to ensure you are following all of the regulations set out by the granting institutions.

Customer Application Forms

Please download the form specific to your region:

Utility/Region		Form Type
	> Brampton
	> Mississauga
	> Caledon > King Township > East Gwillimbury > Georgina > Whitchurch-Stouffville

Submitting your Customer Application Form or contacting your utility

Signed forms are accepted by mail, fax or electronically in PDF format.

Enersource Hydro

Mail:
Enersource Hydro Mississauga
Attention: PowerHouse Program Manager
3240 Mavis Road,
Mississauga, Ontario
L5C 3K1
Fax: (905) 566-2737, Attention: PowerHouse Program Manager
E-mail: powerhouse@enersource.com
Contact Telephone Number: (905) 283-4061

Hydro One Networks

Mail:
Hydro One Networks
Attention: PowerHouse Loan Program
483 Bay Street, 14th Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 2P5
Phone: 1-888-664-9376
Fax: (416) 345-5911
E-mail: powerhouseloan@hydroone.com

Hydro One Brampton Networks

Mail:
Ralph Williams
Hydro One Brampton Networks
175 Sandalwood Parkway West
Brampton, Ontario
L7A 1E8
Phone: 905 452 5516
E-mail: rwilliams@hydroonebrampton.com

Source: http://powerhouseprogram.ca/loans/index.htm