Are you still on the fence about retrofitting your Edmonton home to leverage solar power? We understand the resistance to change, and when Jason Kenney’s United Conservative Party froze Alberta’s solar rebate program this summer you may have paused your ambition to install solar panels on your property. But the second sunniest city in Canada has stepped up to boost the Edmonton solar panel rebate to cover the portion the province bowed out of. With that out of the way, we’re going to shed light on the program available to homeowners.

How to Qualify Your Home for Edmonton’s Updated Solar Rebate Program and What Else You Need to Know

Hire a Qualified Solar Provider from Alberta’s Solar Providers Directory

The City of Edmonton’s Change Homes for Climate initiative asks that you hire a qualified solar panel installer. The provider should be listed on the Solar Energy Society of Alberta. Guess what? You’ve found one right here. Better yet, Building Electric staff are CSA NOC 7241 Certified for Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems. The first step towards getting your rebate is complete. Keep reading.

Assessing PV Viability for Your Home

Most homes in Edmonton can employ the power of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system. That said, the extent to which those benefits are realized varies upon the following:

Orientation
Shading
Roof condition
Available roof space
Household electrical consumption

As you can see, in some rare cases landscaping and additional renovations may be required before PV installation. But no matter the potential investment, the savings to come cannot be ignored. Read on for those details.

How Much Will You Save?

The City of Edmonton has pledged $0.40/watt towards the cost of your new solar panel system. This equates approximately 15 percent of the cost and on average homeowners are saving nearly $3000 for a complete installation. Going solar has never been so economical!

Of course, the cost savings extend beyond the initial investment because you will see an immediate drop in your monthly energy bill. Our proud city literally shines bright, receiving an estimated 2345 hours of pure sunshine per year which translates into about 325 days with some bright sunshine and around 50 percent of sunny daylight hours. That means solar panels can supply a significant portion of your home’s electricity and in some cases (for an optimally positioned home) it can cover 100 percent of your electricity bill. Factor in the fact that the warranty on most solar modules (and corresponding goods and materials) is 25 years and you’ll enjoy savings for decades to come. But again, you’ll see a return on your investment from month-one.

Useful Tools to Help With Your Decision to Go Solar

No matter where you live in Edmonton you will benefit from a solar panel retrofit. That said, some homes will realize greater sun exposure than others, and you may find that yours is one that can boast 90-100% solar coverage for your electric bill. The City has provided a residential solar map (click here) to help you gauge your solar potential, yet the results may not fully grasp the possibilities. A premium solar PV array installation can better capitalize on sun exposure around your home, and Building Electric staff with look for optimization opportunities on your property that other installers may not have considered.

We also encourage you to look into Federal solar tax credits for additional financial incentives and review Alberta’s Solar Consumer Guide for general information about retrofitting your home. However, the greatest tool that you have at your disposal is your phone - simply call BLDG Electric at (780) 328-6491 for a friendly conversation and we will cover everything for you.

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