What solar and battery rebates pay in Burnaby
We re-read BC Hydro's solar and battery rebate page on October 3, 2026. The battery rebate is higher if you enroll it in Peak Saver. Every rebate is capped at 50% of what you paid.
Solar panels
$1,000 per kW of DC capacity, up to 50% of the installed cost.
Battery with Peak Saver
$500 per kWh, up to 50% of cost. Enroll in Peak Saver within 14 days of the in-service date. Battery-only allowed.
Battery without Peak Saver
Only when paired with solar.
Peak Saver battery reward
One-time bill credit for enrolling, then a seasonal reward each winter you stay in.
Tesla Powerwall
Tesla batteries, inverters and chargers are not eligible for BC Hydro or CleanBC rebates.
Canada’s new heat pump rebate is worth up to $10,000. Get an email the day it opens
Planning a heat pump too? This one is on top of the rebates above, and we’ll email you the day it opens.
- Up to $10,000
- if your household earns below the median income
- $2,000
- for other homeowners who qualify
Stack it with the British Columbia rebate open today
Ottawa says you can combine them. Each program has its own rules. Amounts are the most you can get.
Applications open early 2027
Join the launch alert
- Launch-day email, with what to do first
- Who qualifies for the $10,000, once Ottawa says
- A short hello now, so you know it worked
Know someone with old heating? Send them this.
Only emails about this rebate. No spam, no sales calls. Unsubscribe anytime.
Read everything we know so far Official page: canada.ca
How much sun Burnaby gets
Burnaby averaged about 3.31 peak sun hours a day from 2020 to 2024. That is typical for the Lower Mainland, with strong summers and weak winters. As a rough guide, a 5 kW system here would make about 4,833 kWh a year, using 3.31 sun hours times 365 days and assuming 80% of the panel rating reaches your panel after losses. Your installer's design for your own roof will be more accurate.
Who in Burnaby can claim this rebate
The 2021 Census counted 101,135 households in Burnaby. About 60% of them own (61,185 households) and about 40% rent (39,955). Only 19,060 households live in a detached house, roughly one in five. BC Hydro's solar and battery rebates are for owners of single-family homes, duplexes, townhomes and mobile homes on its grid, so in Burnaby the rebate reaches a smaller group than the size of the city suggests.
If you rent, you cannot apply yourself, because only the owner can. If you own an apartment, the residential rebate is not written for you on its own. If you own a detached house or a townhome, read on.
Older detached homes and the roof
About 9,220 owner-occupied detached homes in Burnaby were built before 1981, and another 2,105 were built from 1981 to 1990, according to the same Census table. Panels stay on a roof for many years, so the age and condition of the roof matter as much as the price of the panels. Before you sign, ask each installer to look at the roof and tell you in writing whether it should be replaced first. A roof replaced after the panels go on means taking the panels down and putting them back.
Townhome roofs
Burnaby has more townhome and apartment households than detached ones. A townhome owner can apply for the residential rebate, but the roof is often common property. Ask your strata council early, get any approval in writing, and make sure your installer knows who owns the roof before BC Hydro's technical review.
The rebate math for a 5 kW system
BC Hydro pays $1,000 for each kilowatt of solar you install, up to 50% of the installed cost, and no more than $5,000 for solar. For a 5 kW system the first number is $5,000, so the 50% cap only matters if the whole system costs less than $10,000. Ask each quote to show the system size in kW, the total installed cost and the rebate you can expect, so you can compare the same three numbers across companies.
Battery first: outage backup
A battery stores power for when the grid goes down. The rebate is $500 per kWh, so a 10 kWh battery that cost at least $10,000 can reach $5,000 with Peak Saver. Without Peak Saver, the battery must be paired with solar and the rebate stops at $1,500.
The 50% cap and the order of steps
Every rebate is limited to 50% of the installed cost. You must hire a contractor in the Home Performance Contractor Network and submit a self-generation application to BC Hydro before you install. Wait for technical acceptance. After install, send the final inspection documents and paid invoices. BC Hydro pays within 60 days of approval.
Tesla Powerwall is not eligible
Tesla's Powerwall 2 and 3, Tesla inverters and Tesla chargers are not eligible for BC Hydro or CleanBC rebates. The only exception is an application made before March 12, 2025.
Top-rated installers in Burnaby
These Burnaby solar installers have the best Google ratings with enough reviews to trust. Ratings and review counts from Google Maps. Ask each one if they are in the Home Performance Contractor Network.
How to claim it
- Confirm your home is on BC Hydro's grid.
- Hire a Home Performance Contractor Network member.
- Submit the self-generation application before you install, and wait for technical acceptance.
- Install. Enroll the battery in Peak Saver within 14 days of the in-service date if you want the $5,000 battery rebate.
- Send the final inspection documents and paid invoices.
Common questions
How much sun does Burnaby get?
About 3.31 peak sun hours a day on average from 2020 to 2024, from the Open-Meteo historical archive.
What does Peak Saver ask of my battery?
BC Hydro can draw on it during a few winter peak events, November to March, for up to four hours. You can opt out of events, but opting out of more than half may cost you the seasonal reward.
Can I get the battery rebate without solar?
Yes, but only if you enroll the battery in Peak Saver. Then the battery-only rebate can reach $5,000.
Is the Tesla Powerwall eligible?
No. Tesla batteries get $0 from BC Hydro and CleanBC.
I rent in Burnaby. Can I get the solar rebate?
No. Only the owner of a single-family home, duplex, townhome or mobile home on BC Hydro's grid can apply. If your landlord is interested, send them BC Hydro's rebate page.
Should I replace my roof before I add panels?
It depends on the roof's age and condition. Ask each installer to check it and to put their view in the quote.
Who can apply?
Owners of single-family homes, duplexes, townhomes and mobile homes connected to BC Hydro's grid.
What to do next
See Burnaby heat pump rebates and every Burnaby rebate.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 3, 2026: BC Hydro solar and battery rebates, BC Hydro solar and battery rebate terms, BC Hydro ineligible products (Tesla), BC Hydro Peak Saver, Solar radiation, Open-Meteo historical archive 2020 to 2024, Statistics Canada 2021 Census, table 98-10-0233-01. All Burnaby rebates → Every BC Hydro rebate →