Electric Utility Rebates and Incentive Programs for Canada’s Greenhouse Growers and Vertical Farmers
According to Hort Americas, electric utility rebates and incentive programs don’t stop at the U.S. border. Many of Canada’s 151 electric utilities operating across 10 provinces and three territories offer funding that supports CEA growers advancing energy-efficient construction projects.
Agricultural programs cover businesses that are involved in agricultural production. Many utility incentives cover specific agricultural equipment or general equipment for energy-efficient construction projects.
“The Hort Americas team will help advance your lighting, HVAC or any other eligible measure qualification to make sure you maximize their incentive award. We simplify the Canadian utilities’ rules of engagement with their rebate programs, pre-approval processes and lighting product compliance when selecting LED Design Lights Consortium (DLC) products required for eligibility qualification,” the Hort Americas team explains.
Ontario’s Save on Energy offers a retrofit rebate program that incentivizes LED grow lights, exhaust fan ventilation, recirculation ventilation fans and lighting controls. Horticulture lighting incentives are for both top lighting and inter-lighting as well as advanced lighting controls. In the southwest region of the province, incentives are available for photovoltaic (PV) panels with battery storage.
Hydro Quebec‘s business agricultural incentive program offers LED lighting rebates for horticultural purposes. This program rewards growers for energy savings, light spectrum changes leading to improved crop quality, increased yields per hectare and longer product service life. Eligible funding is determined by how much natural sunlight is available in a greenhouse or enclosed building.
Natural sunlight in a greenhouse can get incentives ranging between $40 to $500. This program also supports rebate consideration for innovative greenhouse measures such as aerothermal and geothermal heat pumps and accumulation reservoirs.
Similar to Ontario and Quebec, British Columbia Hydro & Power Authority (BC Hydro) offers a utility incentive program for energy-efficient improvements. Installing contractors are required to register in the Alliance network to qualify for incentives. The BC Hydro program offers incentive awards up to 75% of project costs.
Growers need to meet several requirements to qualify, including:
- Having minimum energy savings of 50,000 kilowatt hours per year.
- Using lighting solution products that are Design Lights Consortium (DLC) listed/approved.
- Having minimum efficacy and power factors.
- Achieving Total Harmonic Distortion standards.
The Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) program is a prime example of why you shouldn’t wait to start your energy-efficient project. Due to high demand, award dollars for ERA’s Energy Savings for Business program has already been given out. New applications will be added to the waitlist and may be considered when funding becomes available.
Canada’s Newfoundland Power’s takeCHARGE program supports energy-efficient lighting projects. Vertical farmers and greenhouse growers don’t have to use a specific type of lighting to qualify. So, the utility doesn’t distinguish between regular lighting and agriculture lighting.
The Newfoundland Power Rebate Program requires that energy-efficient lighting retrofits go from fluorescent lighting to LED lighting in order to qualify. LED lighting to LED lighting will make you ineligible to apply.
Remember – funding is limited across Canada’s provinces and territories. Many programs operate on a first-come, first-served basis, until they’ve used their funding. Contact Hort Americas to better understand how you can capitalize on these incentives.