What Home Renovation Savings pays for a home battery in Guelph
We re-read the program's solar page and its October 2025 requirements on October 3, 2026. Ontario's rebate is for a battery installed with new solar, not for adding one to an existing system.
Battery storage
Paid per kWh of installed capacity, capped at 50% of eligible costs, including the inverter if applicable and the controls.
Only with new solar
A battery is eligible only when paired with a new solar system and sized for it. A home that already has solar or storage is not eligible.
Solar and battery together
The solar rebate is up to $5,000 and the battery rebate up to $5,000, each capped at half its eligible cost.
No net metering
The system must be sized to offset the home's own use. A net metering agreement makes it ineligible.
Safety and approvals
The installer must be a licensed electrical contractor. The battery must meet the Ontario Electrical Safety Code and fire codes, carry CSA, cUL or UL approvals and have utility connection approval.
Timing
No purchase or install before written IESO pre-approval and utility approval. The project must finish within 12 months and be filed within 30 days of installation.
The requirements document gives no end date for this stream, so confirm on the program page before you sign. The IESO has no pre-qualified contractor list.
Alectra
Alectra Utilities approves the battery connection and receives the application from the contractor.
Housing
69% of households live in an eligible house type. 12% live in tall apartments and 14% in low-rise buildings, which are excluded.
Quote freshness
The quote filed with the pre-installation application must be dated within 60 days of the submission. If approval takes longer, ask for a new quote.
Already have solar? Not eligible
The program pays for first-time installations only. A home that already has a solar or storage system is not eligible, so an owner who installed panels years ago cannot add a battery and claim this rebate. If you are planning solar and a battery, do them as one project under one pre-installation application.
Approvals and the order of events
The contractor submits the pre-installation application with a quote dated within 60 days. You cannot buy or install before written IESO pre-approval and utility approval. The utility's distributed energy resource approval covers the battery, and the post-installation file needs the connection agreement and the ESA certificate within 30 days of installation.
What counts as eligible cost
Eligible costs cover equipment, permits, approvals and labour, including the inverter if applicable and necessary controls. HST, financing, insurance, maintenance and spare parts are not eligible costs, and combined funding from other sources cannot exceed 100% of the cost.
Why net metering rules shape the design
A system under a net metering agreement is not eligible, and the system must be sized for load displacement. A battery supports that goal by storing midday output for evening use at home. Tell every installer you want the rebate so they do not design for export.
Guelph's house stock
Guelph's housing is split between houses and apartments, and the program accepts only eligible house types. For an owner, the practical order is solar design first, battery size second and the utility application third, with the roof and electrical panel checked at the start.
How to claim in Guelph
- Confirm you own an eligible house type and plan solar and the battery as one project.
- Talk to Alectra Utilities about the distributed energy resource approval for the battery and the maximum size it allows.
- Choose a licensed electrical contractor and ask for one quote covering solar and battery, showing kW, kWh and pre-HST costs.
- Let the contractor file the pre-installation application and wait for written IESO pre-approval and utility approval before buying anything.
- After the install, check that the post-installation application is filed within 30 days with the ESA certificate and connection agreement.
Common questions
Who approves?
Alectra Utilities.
How fresh must the quote be?
Within 60 days.
Are condos eligible?
No.
Is solar required?
Yes.
What to do next
See Guelph solar rebates, heat pump rebates and the Ontario rebate calculator.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 3, 2026: Home Renovation Savings: solar and battery, Solar and Storage stream requirements (PDF), Save on Energy: Home Renovation Savings, Statistics Canada 2021 Census, table 98-10-0233-01. All Guelph rebates → Every Home Renovation Savings rebate →