What Home Renovation Savings pays for a home battery in Peterborough
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.
Hydro One
Hydro One approves the connection, since it took over Peterborough Distribution in 2020. Ask about the process and any size limit.
Older houses
6.1% of households report needing major repairs. Check the roof and electrical service before planning solar and a battery.
Sizing
The battery must be sized appropriately for the solar system. Ask the installer how the kWh figure follows your use.
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.
The kWh arithmetic
The rebate is $300 per kWh, so a 10 kWh battery earns $3,000 and a battery of about 16.7 kWh reaches the $5,000 cap. The rebate is also limited to half the eligible cost, so if the battery costs $8,000 before HST the most you can receive is $4,000. Ask the Peterborough installer to show the capacity in kWh and the pre-HST price on the quote.
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.
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.
Peterborough's older houses
Peterborough has a large share of older homes. Before planning, ask for a roof condition report and a panel capacity check, because both can change the scope and the schedule within the 12 months the program allows.
How to claim in Peterborough
- Confirm you own an eligible house type and plan solar and the battery as one project.
- Talk to Hydro One 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?
Hydro One, the electricity distributor in Peterborough since 2020.
Is solar required?
Yes.
Can I over-size the battery?
The program describes appropriate sizing, and the rebate is capped.
What is the cap?
$5,000.
What to do next
See Peterborough solar rebates, heat pump rebates and the Ontario rebate calculator.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 11, 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, Hydro One: acquisition of Peterborough Distribution, August 1, 2020. All Peterborough rebates → Every Home Renovation Savings rebate →