Grant
Private
Active
BC Hydro Business Energy-Saving Incentives (BESI) Program
BC Hydro
Maximum Funding
Average 40% of upfront equipment costs; up to $2,800/year for...
Ongoing
Difficulty
Easy
Payment
Reimbursement
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
40%
BC Hydro Business Energy-Saving Incentives (BESI) Program provides up to Average 40% of upfront equipment costs; up to $2,800/year for small prescriptive measures; larger projects up to $50,000+ via Custom Program. Provides BC Hydro commercial and small industrial customers with cash incentives averaging 40% of upfront costs for installing energy-efficient equipment including lighting, HVAC, refrigeration, and motors. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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Program Description
Provides BC Hydro commercial and small industrial customers with cash incentives averaging 40% of upfront costs for installing energy-efficient equipment including lighting, HVAC, refrigeration, and motors. Applications can be submitted any time; incentives are calculated based on annual electricity savings from eligible upgrades.
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a BC Hydro commercial or small industrial customer (any business with a BC Hydro account in British Columbia)
- Primarily for commercial and small industrial sites using less than 500,000 kWh per year (the prescriptive BESI tier); larger sites are generally directed to the Custom Program or Self-Serve Incentive Program
- Applies to both retrofit of existing equipment and installation of new energy-efficient systems
- Equipment must be permanently installed at a BC Hydro-served location in British Columbia
- New construction projects may also be eligible under separate prescriptive rates
- Work must be delivered by a registered member of BC Hydro's Alliance of Energy Professionals — an existing non-member contractor cannot be used
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Easy
Competition
Low
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- Average 40% of upfront equipment costs; up to $2,800/year for small prescriptive measures; larger projects up to $50,000+ via Custom Program
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Private
- Co-Funding
- Up to 40% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Low
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Entitlement
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win BESI
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 5 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 5-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 6-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 3-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Insider TipApply BEFORE you buy equipment — applications submitted before purchase lock in the incentive rate.
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See what trips up most applicants for this program — and how to avoid it.
Rejection Pitfalls 5
- Facility is served by a different utility (FortisBC, municipal utility) rather than BC Hydro
+4 more pitfalls
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Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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5 reasons applications get rejected, what winners look like, and exactly what reviewers score on
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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6 steps
5 docs
Application Steps
1
Identify eligible upgrades Review BC Hydro's prescriptive measure list to identify qualifying equipment upgrades. Contact a BC Hydro Key Account Manager for a free energy assessment if needed.
Required Documents 5
✓ Completed BESI application form (online or paper)
✓ Proof of BC Hydro account number for the installation site
Eligible Expenses 8
Ineligible Expenses 5
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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3 partners
Compatible Programs
CleanBC Better Buildings — Commercial Retrofit
Canada Greener Buildings Grant (federal)
FortisBC Energy Efficiency Programs
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
Clawback Risk
None Risk
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How BESI Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BC Hydro Business Energy-Saving Incen... | up to $2,800 | Easy | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
| Strategic Response Fund (formerly Str... | Minimum $10 million contribution | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing — continuous... |
| CanExport SMEs | Up to $50,000 | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Applications accepted... |
| Ocean Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Call-specific — no open... |
| Ontario Innovation Tax Credit | Up to 8% tax credit | Moderate | Tax Credit Offset | Ongoing |
Related Programs
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about BESI
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Who is eligible for BC Hydro's Business Energy-Saving Incentives?
Any business with a BC Hydro commercial or small industrial account in British Columbia. Facilities under 500,000 kWh/year use the prescriptive BESI tier.
How much can a business get from the BESI program?
Incentives average 40% of upfront equipment costs. Small prescriptive measures pay up to $2,800/year; larger Custom Program projects can exceed $50,000.
What equipment qualifies for BESI incentives?
Energy-efficient lighting, HVAC, refrigeration, and motors. Both prescriptive fixed-rebate and custom engineered-savings project paths are available.
When can I apply to the BESI program?
Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis with no fixed deadline. Apply before purchasing equipment to confirm incentive eligibility.
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Full Playbook: BESI
6 steps · 5 docs · reviewer insights