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Solar subsidies and grants

Solar costs, credits and your utility bill

There are upfront costs when installing a home solar power system. Grants, incentive programs and micro-generation credits can help balance this initial investment over time.

home solar

Costs

The average cost of a solar power system for a home that typically consumes between 600 to 800 kilowatt⁠-⁠hours (kWh) of electricity per month is $12,000 to $20,000. This includes the cost of the equipment, installation, permitting and commission/electrification and does not account for any savings from grants or incentives. Installing a smaller home solar power system can partially offset consumption and is often a better fit for a homeowner's budget. As time passes, more solar modules can be added.

Applying for solar grants can help balance these costs. The condition of a home’s roof, any required electrical upgrades, or other project-specific considerations may affect the overall cost.

home solar

Credits

Any surplus power generated by a home solar power system is “sold” back to the grid to create a micro-generation credit on a homeowner’s monthly utility bill. Micro-generation credits only occur when a home solar power system is connected to the grid.

Excess solar power is most often seen during the sunnier summer months and for home solar power systems sized to offset most or all of a household’s monthly electricity consumption. Home solar power systems cannot be sized with the capacity to generate more electricity than is used by a household annually.

Installing a smaller solar power system can help partially offset energy consumption from the grid and may or may not result in excess power generation.

*Updated June 2022

Solar Grants and Incentives^ⱡ

Federal Canada Greener Homes Grant

Canada Greener Homes Loan

City of Edmonton

Town of Banff

Clean Energy Improvement Program

Solar and your utility bill

Solar-powered households consume energy generated from the solar array first, before accessing the grid. As a result, fees associated with grid-supplied electricity are expected to be lower where the array is performing as expected.

Nearly all Alberta homes are connected to the grid as grid-supplied electricity is necessary during the evenings or on days with little to no sun. As such, other charges such as Transmission and Distribution, applicable taxes and similar fees still apply, though are typically lower than homes without a solar power system.

After installing solar, a bill will change primarily on four lines:

1. Energy Charge

This is the cost of the energy consumed from the grid. With solar, energy generated by solar modules is consumed first, so this line item should be lower than a home without solar installed.

2. Micro-generation Credit

This line is added to a bill after solar is installed. It represents any energy generated by a home solar power system that is not consumed during the month. Excess solar energy from a home solar power system is “sold” to the grid at the same rate being paid for incoming electricity. The amount of money a home solar power system is credited depends on a variety of factors, including the number of solar modules installed, a home’s energy needs and the homeowner’s current electricity rate. If you’re not a small microgenerator then you would be compensated at the wholesale price.

3. Is Distribution Charge

This charge has a fixed component which will not change with solar as it is charged per day, and a variable component, which is charged based on consumption from the grid. Because there is a reasonable expectation that grid consumption is lower with solar, this charge should also be lower compared to a home without a solar power system if a system performs as expected.

4. Transmission Charge

Much like the distribution charge, this charge may have a fixed and variable component. In most areas of Alberta, it is only variable based on consumption from the grid so will most likely be lower compared to a home without a solar power system if the system performs as expected.

Is solar right for my home?

You must own a single detached or semi-attached home.
Your roof is in good repair with minimal obstructions.
You understand how your energy bill will change, including micro-generation credits.

Solar plan

Easymax Seasonal Solar™

A premium rate for electricity exported to the grid during the sunnier months.

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Find a trusted solar installer

Use one form to get quotes from multiple solar installers in your area.

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Our team is here to help

General solar system, micro-generation credit and billing questions

Phone: 310-2010 or 1-877-571-7111 (Outside Alberta)

Weekdays: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Closed: Weekends and statutory holidays.

If you’re a solar installer looking to connect a system to the Calgary network please visit ENMAX Power’s Distributed Generation page.

Interested in learning more about solar power systems?

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