22 PANELS 10,500 KWH 105 % OFFSET 0 $ POWER BILL
20 PANELS 12730 KWH 108 % OFFSET 0 $ POWER BILL
5
Financing that removes the upfront wall
The biggest thing that stops people from going solar is the upfront cost. Alberta’ s Clean Energy Improvement Program( CEIP) has substantially closed that gap. It is administered by participating municipalities and is tied to property tax, not personal credit. The CEIP can finance up to 100 % of project costs to a maximum of $ 50,000 with a pay back period of up to 20 years at a fixed municipal interest rate. If you sell your home, the financing transfers with the property, and does not stay with you. A lot of homeowners find their monthly savings on electricity is actually higher than the property tax repayment from the very first month of operation. Calgary, Edmonton, Canmore, Grande Prairie, and a growing list of over 27 Alberta municipalities are currently participating in the program.
7
Long-term cost lock-in
This is often the last reason people mention, but it’ s the one that quietly makes up their minds. Going solar turns a portion of your unpredictable, escalating energy bill into a one-time fixed capital cost. For homeowners who plan to stay in their home for the next 10 years or more, that’ s real protection against two decades of rate increases and given the increasing pressures on Alberta’ s grid, those price increases are coming.
6
Reasonable payback periods
With the rising utility rates and strong solar potential, the math adds up faster in Alberta than almost anywhere else. Most homeowners in Calgary and Edmonton see a full payback within 10 to 14 years on a system rated for 25 to 30 years of output, meaning more than half of the system’ s service life is essentially free electricity.
|“ For a number of jurisdictions like Alberta, like Saskatchewan, you’ ve got payback periods that are, you know, sort of in that 10-year time frame.” ERWIN HUECK • NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF DISTRIBUTED RESOURCES, CANREA
On their own, none of these reasons seals the deal. But together, they explain why solar quotes and installations are rising steadily across Western Canada and why the conversation has moved on from whether it works, to when do the numbers add up for you. And for a growing number of Albertan and Saskatchewan homeowners, that answer is right now.
Shield Solar, www. shieldsolar. ca
FROM ENERGY PLAN TO ENERGY PRODUCTION
22 PANELS 10,500 KWH 105 % OFFSET 0 $ POWER BILL
20 PANELS 12730 KWH 108 % OFFSET 0 $ POWER BILL