As always HES is trying to promote and lobby for solar improvements on all government levels and asks for your help to counter and change initiatives that hinder Solar in BC.
We request you contact the following emails from the BC Green Energy Task Force – A new Cabinet Committee on Climate Action and Clean Energy click here for more info and BC Hydro and bring to their attention the importance of these issues.
ResourceDevelopmentTF@gmail.com
ProcurementAndRegulatoryReform@gmail.com
1) HST – Implementation of the HST will increase the cost of Energy Conservation materials to the end user, reducing the size of the industry and the jobs within it. There is currently a PST exemption in place for solar PV and other Energy Conservation materials (see document attached). We recommend that the current PST exemption be carried forward.
2) Building Permit Fees for Solar PV residential rooftop installations – At this point this is a total grey area and should be developed. We recommend that they not require a building permit because of the minimal load this style of mount puts on the roof (approx 3lbs/square foot).
3) Electrical Permits – Currently in BC electrical permits for a solar system cost five times more than they do in Ontario. We recommend that electrical permits for solar PV systems in BC cost the same as in Ontario.($250 for systems under 10kw)
4) BC Hydro inspection fee – Currently Solar PV systems above 5 Kw are subject to inspection fees, which add further cost to the total cost of installation. We recommend that the array size be increased from 5Kw to 10 kw, so that systems 10Kw and greater be subject to inspection fees and that systems less than 10 Kw be exempt from the inspection fee.
5) Incentive Program – BC Hydro currently offers net metering to offset your bill. Payback is approx 50 years. Ontario MicroFIT program currently offers 80.2 cents per Kilowatt hour and a payback of approx 6 years. We recommend the implementation of a program similar to Ontario.
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