What Home Renovation Savings pays for a home battery in Sault Ste. Marie
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.
Public Utilities
Sault Ste. Marie Public Utilities approves the connection. Ask about the process and size limit.
Housing
75% of households live in homes built before 1981 and 7.1% report needing major repairs. Check the roof first.
Cold install locations
The record low was -30.5°C. Ask about the battery's rated operating range and where it will sit.
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 Sault Ste. Marie installer to show the capacity in kWh and the pre-HST price on the quote.
Where the battery goes
The battery must be installed by a licensed electrical contractor, comply with the Ontario Electrical Safety Code and applicable fire codes, be approved for use in Ontario and pass an electrical inspection. Placement in a garage or basement affects the fire-code review, so ask the installer where the unit will sit and how the clearances were checked.
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.
How to claim in Sault Ste. Marie
- Confirm you own an eligible house type and plan solar and the battery as one project.
- Talk to Sault Ste. Marie Public 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?
Sault Ste. Marie Public Utilities.
Is solar required?
Yes.
Does cold matter?
Check the manufacturer's range.
What is the cap?
$5,000.
What to do next
See Sault Ste. Marie 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 Sault Ste. Marie rebates → Every Home Renovation Savings rebate →