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Below are the various programs you can take advantage of to install ground mounted solar arrays. These are assuming you are in the BC Hydro service area. We can help you plan and install a system under of these options. The easiest option for a larger system would probably be the new community generation option.
– The self generation program is currently limited to a maximum of 300 kW AC (or about 360 kW DC) if you have 3 phase service. If you have single phase service the limit is 100 kW AC.
– The 300 kW size system would use about 1 acre of land (3,000 square meters or 0.1 Hectares).
– Cost would be about $600,000 (before incentives and the ITC).
– It must be behind-the-meter. So, it must connect to a BC Hydro account,
– The system would offset any electricity used by the BC Hydro account at whatever rate the account pays.
– Excess electricity beyond the consumption of the BC Hydro account is paid out at the self-generation rate The self generation rate is $0.10 / kWh.
– Business can get a $10,000 rebate for this and a 30% investment tax credit (ITC).
– More information.
– Similar to self generation but allows system greater than 300 kW (up to 1MW)
– It must be behind- the-meter (must be on a BC Hydro Account).
– It must be zero export (no power exported to the utility). So it only makes sense for large commercial or industrial sites where demand is always higher than the PV output.
– There can be expensive interconnection study costs
– BC Hydro may provide funding for costs associated with this program and the 30% ITC can also be used.
– The the system size can be up to 2MW
– A 2 MW system would use about 6 acres of land (20,000 square meters or 2 Hectares)
– Costs would be up to about $4 million to install (but the ITC can reduce this cost by 30%).
– It must be behind-the-meter. So, it must connect to a BC Hydro account (it can be a new account / meter).
– Excess electricity beyond the consumption of the BC Hydro account is paid out at a special community generation rate of $0.10 kWh.
– The system must be partly owned local BC hydro customers (up to 84 residential customers for a 2 MW system). However, based on the requirements the landowner could still own over 90% of the shares in the system. We can help you meet this requirement for shared ownership and comply with BC Securities Law related to the shared owernship.
– There are interconnection study costs associated with any project over 300 kW which can be expensive.
– More information.
– This a periodic program. The 2025 call closed in January 2026. Another one is expected within the next year or two.
– Minimum size during the last call for power was 40 MW (about 120 acres)
– The cost for the minimum size would be about $80 million.
– It is front-of-the-meter. The system is connected directly to the grid.
– Power is sold directly to BC Hydro. You must bid with a proposed base price. The base price is adjusted based on location, season and time of day. During the last call for power pricing was around $0.075 / kWh.
– More information.
– The BC Government has announced that they will allow projects between 1 MW and 40 MW to connect to the grid if they are led by First Nations.
– It appears that they need to be at least 50% First Nation owned.
– It is not clear what rate will be paid for this power.
– Further details for this program will be announced this year.
Regulatory considerations: Call for Power projects are reviewed and approved by the BC Energy Regulator (BCER). Smaller projects that are on Agricultural Land Reservce (ALR) land are subject to approval by the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC). Generally the ALC does not permit projects that produce more electricity than the farm consumes. However, exceptions may be made if it is a agrivoltaics project. Agrivoltaics combine solar energy arrays with crop production or livestock grazing.