HRS Rebate vs. Net Metering — Which Path Wins?
In Ontario you choose one or the other — the Home Renovation Savings rebate and a net-metering agreement can't be combined. They reward completely different things, so the better choice depends on your roof, your bill, and how you use power. Here's the honest comparison, then a calculator you can run with your own numbers.
The two paths, plainly
Net metering
No rebate up front. Power you export to the grid is credited 1:1 against power you draw later, so effectively all of your generation has value. You pay full price for the system, but every kilowatt-hour counts whether you use it now or bank it.
HRS rebate
Up to $10,000 back, which lowers your up-front cost. But the system is built for load displacement — you can only benefit from the power you use on-site. Anything you would have exported is worth $0, because there's no export agreement.
What actually tips the decision
It comes down to self-consumption — the share of your generation you use while the sun is shining. If you're home during the day, run heavy loads then, or add a battery to shift solar into the evening, your self-consumption is high and the rebate path looks strong: you got money up front and you're using most of what you make anyway.
If your house is empty all day and most of your generation would flow back to the grid, net metering tends to win: that exported power is credited rather than wasted, and over time the 1:1 credit can outweigh the up-front rebate. A battery narrows the gap by letting you store daytime solar for evening use — but a battery is also a cost, which the rebate helps offset.
There's no universal answer, which is exactly why this comparison rarely appears cleanly anywhere. Run your real system size, cost, rate, and self-consumption below and see the 10-year picture for your situation.
HRS rebate vs. net metering — 10-year comparison
You can't do both. This compares the two paths for your system.
Ontario average, adjust for your roof
Rates as of mid-2026, editable
Share of generation you use on-site (rest is exported)
Net metering
No rebate · 1:1 export credit
HRS rebate
Rebate $5,000 · export $0
Assumptions
- Generation defaults to 1,150 kWh per kW per year (Ontario average), editable.
- Net metering credits all generation at your retail rate (1:1).
- HRS path is load-displacement: only self-consumed power has value; exported power is $0.
- A battery raises self-consumption (default lifted to ~75%) and adds backup, not modelled in dollars here.
- Rate plan presets are mid-2026 approximations and editable — set your own rate for accuracy.
- Straight 10-year totals; no rate inflation, financing, panel degradation, or maintenance.
Estimates only, not financial advice. Electricity rates and program terms change.
Ready to get a system sized and quoted? Request a free estimate and a local installer can model both paths against your roof. Also see the battery storage guide for how storage changes the math.
Are you a solar installer? Homeowners on this page request quotes.
See lead pricing →Independent homeowner tool. Not affiliated with the Government of Ontario. Calculator figures are estimates, not financial advice; rates and program terms change. Sources: homerenovationsavings.ca, saveonenergy.ca. Verified June 2026. Beware of copycat rebate websites — see the official program's scam advisory.