Renewable Energy & Solar Businesses Case Studies

6 worked Renewable Energy & Solar Businesses case studies — the position a client typically comes to us with, what we do, and what it is worth. Each is an illustrative example built on the rules that apply to renewable energy & solar businesses work, not a specific client's file.

Case Study 1 · Structure rebuilt

Corporate Structure Rebuilt For $14,500 Of Annual Savings — Fishing Enterprise, Victoria

Client: A fishing enterprise  ·  Where: Victoria, British Columbia  ·  Engagement: 8 weeks, fixed fee

Saving per year$14,500
DocumentationComplete
Transfer basisRollover

The situation — A fishing enterprise, Victoria, British Columbia

The structure at a fishing enterprise in Victoria, British Columbia had been set up years earlier for a business that no longer existed, and sector deductions claimed on a general-business basis rather than the renewable energy & solar businesses rules had become expensive.

What we did for A fishing enterprise, Victoria, British Columbia

We reassigned the asset classes on the CCA schedule and corrected the opening balances. The reorganisation used the rollover provisions rather than a taxable transfer, so no tax fell due on the restructuring itself.

The result — A fishing enterprise, Victoria, British Columbia

$14,500 of annual saving, achieved on a tax-deferred basis. The minute book, elections and valuations are all in the file.

Case Study 2 · Backlog brought current

Collections Halted And $55,000 Cut From A 7-Year Backlog — Oilfield Services Company, Regina

Client: An oilfield services company  ·  Where: Regina, Saskatchewan  ·  Engagement: 6 weeks, fixed fee

Balance reduced by$55,000
Backlog cleared7 years
CollectionsHalted

The situation — An oilfield services company, Regina, Saskatchewan

By the time an oilfield services company in Regina, Saskatchewan called, 7 years were outstanding and the CRA had assessed on estimates. Underneath it sat equipment and asset classes assigned by guesswork rather than the CCA schedule.

What we did for An oilfield services company, Regina, Saskatchewan

We reconstructed the records year by year and aligned the reporting calendar with the sector’s own seasonal cycle rather than a generic year-end. Each filing replaced an arbitrary assessment with a real one.

The result — An oilfield services company, Regina, Saskatchewan

The account is current. Filing on real numbers rather than CRA estimates reduced the balance by $55,000, and a relief application addressed part of the accumulated interest.

Case Study 3 · Sale and succession

Intergenerational Transfer Completed With $520,000 Deferred — Maple and Specialty Crop, London

Client: A maple and specialty crop producer  ·  Where: London, Ontario  ·  Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee

Tax deferred$520,000
TransferCompleted
RecordsReview-ready

The situation — A maple and specialty crop producer, London, Ontario

A generational transfer at a maple and specialty crop producer in London, Ontario had been discussed for years without a plan. A minute book with no resolutions behind a decade of dividends meant the transfer as contemplated would have been fully taxable.

What we did for A maple and specialty crop producer, London, Ontario

We documented the positions to the standard the CRA applies to this sector specifically, sequencing the steps so each one was complete and documented before the next depended on it.

The result — A maple and specialty crop producer, London, Ontario

$520,000 of tax was deferred through the transfer, and the successor generation took over a corporation whose records stood up to review.

Case Study 4 · Missed incentive claimed

$43,000 In Credits Claimed That Prior Filings Had Missed — Mining Services Supplier, Surrey

Client: A mining services supplier  ·  Where: Surrey, British Columbia  ·  Engagement: 11 weeks, fixed fee

Credits claimed$43,000
Years adjusted7
Review outcomeNo adjustment

The situation — A mining services supplier, Surrey, British Columbia

A mining services supplier in Surrey, British Columbia had been filing for 7 years without ever claiming the incentives its activity qualified for. Behind that sat provincial credits left unclaimed alongside every federal filing.

What we did for A mining services supplier, Surrey, British Columbia

We tested each activity against the eligibility criteria rather than the description on the invoice, then reviewed every sector-specific deduction against the current rules and claimed the ones that had been missed.

The result — A mining services supplier, Surrey, British Columbia

$43,000 in credits claimed, with the open prior years adjusted as well. The claim passed review without adjustment.

Case Study 5 · CRA review defended

$43,000 Proposed Adjustment Withdrawn In Full — Dairy Operation, Ottawa

Client: A dairy operation  ·  Where: Ottawa, Ontario  ·  Engagement: 10 weeks, fixed fee

Adjustment withdrawn$43,000
File closed in10 weeks
Penalties assessedNone

The situation — A dairy operation, Ottawa, Ontario

A dairy operation in Ottawa, Ontario received a proposal letter opening a review of renewable energy & solar businesses accounting and tax. The CRA had identified a chart of accounts that told the owner nothing about renewable energy & solar businesses margin and proposed an adjustment of $43,000, with 30 days to respond.

What we did for A dairy operation, Ottawa, Ontario

We treated the response as an evidence exercise rather than an argument. We rebuilt the chart of accounts around how a renewable energy & solar businesses business actually earns and spends, then indexed every supporting document against the specific line the auditor had questioned.

The result — A dairy operation, Ottawa, Ontario

The proposed adjustment was withdrawn in full — all $43,000 of it. The file closed in 10 weeks with no change to the assessed amounts and no penalty.

Case Study 6 · Scaling without breaking

Second-Province Expansion Handled, $92,000 Of Cash Released — Cattle Ranch, Vancouver

Client: A cattle ranch  ·  Where: Vancouver, British Columbia  ·  Engagement: 6 weeks, fixed fee

Cash released$92,000
New registrationsComplete on day one
Compliance gapsNone

The situation — A cattle ranch, Vancouver, British Columbia

Revenue at a cattle ranch in Vancouver, British Columbia was up sharply and cash was tighter than ever. Underneath it sat industry-specific reporting obligations nobody had flagged.

What we did for A cattle ranch, Vancouver, British Columbia

We reassigned the asset classes on the CCA schedule and corrected the opening balances. Every new obligation — registration, remittance frequency, provincial filing — was set up before it was triggered, not after.

The result — A cattle ranch, Vancouver, British Columbia

$92,000 of cash was released from the working capital cycle, and the expansion completed with every registration and filing obligation covered from day one.

Reviewed for the 2025 tax year by Udit Gupta, Founder and Tax Accountant. These case studies are illustrative worked examples composed from the CRA rules that apply to this type of work, not specific client files; figures are representative and outcomes depend on your own facts.

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