If you've been looking into solar in Alberta and the upfront cost is what's holding you back, you're not alone. You're probably also wondering what's left for financing now that the Greener Homes Grant and Loan are gone.
The short answer: the Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP) is the most practical way for many Alberta homeowners to finance solar, and it works differently than a regular loan. Here's how it works, what it costs, and what to check before you plan around it.
What CEIP financing is, and what it isn't
CEIP isn't a personal loan. It's a financing program your municipality runs through Alberta Municipalities. The amount you finance is added to your property tax bill, and you pay it back over a set term, the same way you pay your regular property taxes.
The practical difference: there's no separate monthly loan payment to remember, no personal credit application, and the financing is tied to the property, not to you. It isn't free money, though. You pay interest, at a fixed rate your municipality sets.
Where CEIP is available
CEIP is only available if your municipality takes part. Participating municipalities include Edmonton, Calgary, Airdrie, Beaumont, Leduc, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Grande Prairie, St. Albert, Spruce Grove, Strathcona County and Sturgeon County, among others.
Intakes open, pause and close through the year, and each municipality sets its own interest rate, financing limit and term. Check where your municipality stands on the Alberta Municipalities CEIP page before you plan around it.
How the math works
The CEIP charge on your tax bill depends on three things: how much you finance, the rate, and the term. Your municipality sets the rate and the maximum term (often up to 20 years).
For illustration only: $25,000 financed at 6% over 20 years works out to about $179 a month. A lower amount, a lower rate or a longer term brings that down.
On the other side of the ledger is what the system saves you on your power bill. That depends on your roof, your usage and your rate, so we don't guess at it. A proposal with real numbers shows both side by side: the CEIP charge and the estimated savings, with the assumptions written down so you can check them.
Once the financing is paid off, the system is yours and the savings are all yours.
Rebates on top of CEIP
Some municipalities add rebates on top of the financing, for example for completing a project or for a measured drop in energy use. Amounts and conditions vary by municipality and change from year to year, so confirm what applies where you live. We check this for your address before we quote.
Eligibility, in plain language
To qualify for residential CEIP, you generally need to:
Own a low-rise home (detached, semi-detached, townhouse or row house) in a participating municipality
Be current on your property taxes
Be in good standing with your municipality
Not be in foreclosure or bankruptcy, and be up to date on your mortgage and any other debt secured on the property
If you have a mortgage, check whether your lender needs to consent to a CEIP charge on the property.
What's notably not required: a personal credit check or income verification. CEIP is based on the property, not the borrower.
How applying works
The details differ by municipality, but the path usually looks like this:
Pre-qualify with your municipality. This confirms the property is eligible and holds your place if intake is limited.
Get your evaluation and quote. Many municipalities require an EnerGuide home evaluation before the project. You get a quote from a CEIP Qualified Contractor.
Apply and sign. Your municipality approves the project and you sign the financing agreement before work starts.
Install and close out. The system is installed, the completion paperwork goes in, and repayment starts on your property tax bill.
Plan for this to take longer than a bank loan. Your municipality's CEIP page has the exact steps and current timelines.
Your contractor has to be CEIP Qualified
CEIP only finances work done by a CEIP Qualified Contractor. If you sign with a company that isn't qualified, the project can't be financed through CEIP, even if everything else is in order.
It takes a minute to check. Search the CEIP contractor directory for the company's name before you sign anything. Greenamp is a CEIP Qualified Contractor.
What if you sell your home?
Because the financing is tied to the property, it can stay with the home when you sell, or you can pay it off at closing. Talk to your realtor and lawyer early so the buyer knows how it works.
What CEIP doesn't cover
Anything over the cap. Residential financing is capped (many municipalities cap it at $50,000). For a bigger project, you can combine CEIP with cash or another loan for the part above the cap.
The evaluation. If your municipality requires an EnerGuide evaluation, you pay for it. Some municipalities rebate part of the cost.
Work by a non-qualified contractor. See above.
Not sure whether CEIP or a regular loan suits you better? We compare the two in CEIP vs. solar loans. And if you're weighing a "0% financing" offer, read the truth about 0% solar loans first.
CEIP FAQ
Is CEIP open right now?
It depends on your municipality. Intakes open, pause and close through the year. As of September 29, 2026, Calgary's residential intake is closed until winter 2026/2027, and Edmonton and several nearby municipalities are at capacity, with new pre-qualifications going on a waitlist. Check your municipality on the Alberta Municipalities CEIP page.
Do I need to choose a contractor before I apply for CEIP?
No. You pre-qualify first, which confirms your property is eligible. You choose a CEIP Qualified Contractor and submit your project application after that. The program gives you three months from pre-qualification approval to submit the project application, so you have time to compare quotes.
Does pre-qualifying mean my CEIP financing is approved?
No. Pre-qualification confirms the property is eligible. Financing is secured when your municipality approves the project and you sign the Clean Energy Improvement Agreement, before work starts.
Does CEIP check my credit?
No. There's no personal credit check or income verification. CEIP is based on the property: you need to own an eligible low-rise home, be current on your property taxes and be in good standing with your municipality.
What happens to CEIP financing if I sell my home?
Because the financing is tied to the property, it can stay with the home when you sell, or you can pay it off at closing. Talk to your realtor and lawyer early so the buyer knows how it works.
Getting started
If you'd like to know what CEIP would look like for your home, the first step is a proposal with real numbers. We design the system for your roof, estimate production for your location and orientation, run the financing against your municipality's current terms, and show you the monthly picture. If CEIP isn't open where you live right now, we'll tell you, and show you the other options.
CEIP terms are set by each municipality and change from year to year. For current program status, check Alberta Municipalities.