Closed
Source verified July 12, 2026
Retrofit Program Participant Agreement
Funding for business energy-efficiency upgrades
Latest source updateLast Update: July 12, 2026Latest change: The Retrofit solar photovoltaic systems fact sheet now shows a lower small/medium generation rate of $770/kW-AC and narrowed eligible mounting locations, while support contact details were removed.View change
Latest source update
Last Update: July 12, 2026
Latest change: The Retrofit solar photovoltaic systems fact sheet now shows a lower small/medium generation rate of $770/kW-AC and narrowed eligible mounting locations, while support contact details were removed.
Retrofit solar facts updated
The Retrofit Program Solar Photovoltaic Systems fact sheet now shows a small/medium generation rate of $770/kW-AC, down from $860/kW-AC. It also narrows eligible mounting locations by removing building walls, while rooftop eligibility remains.
Funding available
$ 500
Deadline
Open continuously
Location
Ontario, Canada
Who can apply
Owners and operators of industrial, commercial, institutional and multi-family residential buildings.
See full eligibility
Overview
Save on Energy supports electricity-efficiency upgrades for eligible businesses and facilities. Funding can cover up to 50% of eligible project costs for prescriptive and custom measures, including solar PV, EMIS, HVAC, motors, compressed air, and other energy-saving upgrades.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Increase production or service capacity
- Implement environmental initiatives
Eligible Funding
- Minimum amount : 500 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Ontario
Legal structures
- All legal structures
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- All groups
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Energy-saving equipment upgrades that reduce electricity use and operating costs.
- Behind-the-meter solar photovoltaic systems for load displacement on new or existing building rooftops.
- Energy Management Information Systems for industrial facilities.
- Prescriptive data centre measures, including Computer Room Air Conditioner, ENERGY STAR-certified Servers, Server-Virtualization and Uninterruptible Power Supply.
- Custom retrofit projects for complex or unique energy-efficient retrofits.
Documents Needed
- Program Requirements v1.2 – Effective June 30, 2025
- Participant Agreement v1.2 – Effective June 30, 2025
- Custom Project Worksheet v2.0 – Effective June 30, 2025
- Solar PV DER Worksheet Version 3.0 – Effective May 29, 2026
Official resources
Program guide
Application form
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Owners and operators of industrial, commercial, institutional and multi-family residential buildings.
- Persons with the rights and authority to have the Measures installed.
Eligible expenses
- Equipment purchase costs
- Third-party installation labour
- Energy audit costs for custom projects
- Design, engineering, and architecture costs
- Project management, shipping, disposal, and M&V plan costs
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Wall-mounted Solar DERs
Selection criteria
- Submissions are reviewed for expected energy savings and peak demand reduction.
- Submissions are assessed for availability, market demand and suitability as a prescriptive measure.
- The review process is an in-depth, multi-stage review and approval process that checks whether the measure addresses market needs, meets program requirements, and aligns with cost-effectiveness and energy-efficiency policy objectives.
How to apply
- Contact your local distribution company (LDC) to discuss the connection process and the allowable maximum capacity of the solar PV system.
- Submit a Retrofit application for review through the Save on Energy Retrofit portal and receive application pre-approval.
- Receive approval to connect from your LDC and install your project.
- Receive approval from Save on Energy for your post-project Retrofit application and Retrofit incentive invoice.
Processing and Agreement
- Participant Incentives and any SHP Advance Incentive apply only to projects where a Participant Agreement has been entered into through Pre-Approval of an Application on or after January 1, 2025, the Measures are completed, and Participant Incentive Invoice Approval is received by the applicable deadline.
- The Participant Incentive Invoice Approval Deadline is no later than March 31, 2027 for a Project comprised of the EMIS Measure, or no later than 24 months after the date of Pre-Approval for Projects without an EMIS Measure.
- If an Application receives Pre-Approval, the Participant must submit a Post-Project Submission by the Post-Project Submission Deadline, which is the later of 12 months following receipt of Pre-Approval, the estimated project completion date, or any other deadline communicated in writing.
- Following approval of the Post-Project Submission and submission of an invoice, the IESO pays the Participant Incentive as a lump sum within 90 days of the Participant receiving the Participant Incentive Invoice Approval.
- The IESO or its service providers may undertake quality assurance and quality control activities in connection with an Application during the review process and/or the term of the Participant Agreement.
Additional information
- Only one incentive per project.
- Applications must be submitted in the Retrofit Portal.
- Participants may need to accept a participant agreement.
- Some projects may be subject to QA/QC review.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Retrofit Program Participant Agreement Program
What is the Retrofit Program Participant Agreement?
Save on Energy supports electricity-efficiency upgrades for eligible businesses and facilities. Funding can cover up to 50% of eligible project costs for prescriptive and custom measures, including solar PV, EMIS, HVAC, motors, compressed air, and other energy-saving upgrades.
How much funding can be received?
Retrofit Program Participant Agreement Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses.
Who is eligible for the Retrofit Program Participant Agreement program?
To be eligible for the Retrofit Program Participant Agreement program, you must:
The application must receive Pre-Approval before the project is completed.
The Measures in respect of a project must be completed.
For solar PV incentives, the system must be mounted on new or existing building rooftop(s).
What expenses are eligible under Retrofit Program Participant Agreement?
Energy-saving equipment upgrades that reduce electricity use and operating costs.
Behind-the-meter solar photovoltaic systems for load displacement on new or existing building rooftops.
Energy Management Information Systems for industrial facilities.
Prescriptive data centre measures, including Computer Room Air Conditioner, ENERGY STAR-certified Servers, Server-Virtualization and Uninterruptible Power Supply.
Custom retrofit projects for complex or unique energy-efficient retrofits.
Who can I contact for more information about the Retrofit Program Participant Agreement?
You can contact Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) by email at retrofit@ieso.ca or by phone at 1-844-303-5542.
Where is the Retrofit Program Participant Agreement available?
The Retrofit Program Participant Agreement program is available the province of Ontario.
Is the Retrofit Program Participant Agreement a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Retrofit Program Participant Agreement is a Grant and Funding