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Our team of local solar installers (electricians) and designers have executed several hundred home solar projects and thousands of kW’s for homes and businesses across western Canada. Included in this portfolio are dozens of projects over 100kW, several building integrated PV (BIPV) projects, and home solar system installations in BC
Solar panels pay for themselves within the first year, providing substantial long-term savings. It's a smart investment!
Studies from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory indicate that residential solar systems can increase home values by 3-4%
A typical home solar setup cuts down 3-4 tons of carbon emissions annually – equivalent to planting 100 trees
Explore the Greener Homes Loan or the Investment Tax Credit to turn solar into a profitable venture from day one. Let us guide you through the process
Solar Panels Kamloops A main concern most people have is – how much do solar panels cost in Kamloops?
Like everything, it depends. The cost of solar panels depends mainly on how much electricity (kWh; “kilowatt-hour”) your property uses, and your available roof/installation area.
If you use 20,000 kWh/yr you will need a system that is 2x larger than someone who uses 10,000 kWh/yr. The more energy you use, the more solar panels you will need to offset it. Larger solar systems will typically be able to be installed at a better rate ($/W, “dollars per watt”) relative to smaller solar systems due to the economies of scale.
The average home in BC will use approximately 10,800kWh/yr. To offset this energy, approximately 9 kW to 11 kW of solar power is required.
The cost of solar panels in Kamloops to offset this average amount of electricity will most likely fall in the $15,000 to $30,000 range before any rebates.
You may be eligible for a rebate or tax incentive to reduce that cost further. There is currently a $5,000 solar rebate available now across Canada. On top of that, solar systems in Kamloops (and throughout BC) are PST exempt!
It is important to note that many homes use more or less than the average amount of electricity so the total cost of solar power in Kamloops may vary beyond the stated range. Similarly, many Kamloops homes may be limited by their available roof area, reducing the number of solar panels that can be installed.
The payback of residential solar power systems in Kamloops is based on your installed cost, how much energy will be produced, and what the cost of offset electricity is from the grid. The relationship between the first two is the $/W ("dollar per watt"). This is like $/sq.ft. in other industries – the lower, the better. As electricity prices creep upwards and the cost of installing solar panels decreases, the payback period of solar in Kamloops will drop.
Investing in solar panels is like buying all your electricity up front at a lower bulk price. It will take several years to break even but is cheaper than buying grid electricity over a 30-year span.
Many homeowners think their home is not a good fit for solar energy because the roof slopes east and west, there are trees nearby, or it is tucked into a northern slope of a mountain or riverside.
While these are each important factors to consider for Kamloops solar systems, they may not be detrimental. It is important to assess each site as a unique case.
East and west slopes will produce approximately 5% to 15% less than a southern exposure (varies depending on the pitch of the roof). This difference can easily be made up for by adding an extra panel or two. The same goes for trees or other large obstructions.
With that said, there are cases where it doesn’t make sense and we will detail the exact site-specific impacts of your shading concerns.
Southern exposures are best for home solar panels in Kamloops, but east and west exposures are still very viable.
If you are starting from scratch and building a new home, consider these tips and tricks for optimizing your new build for solar
Solar panels are connected to your home's electrical panel. From there, solar energy is fed to your home’s loads wherever it is needed. If solar energy is insufficient to cover your demand, then energy will be imported from the grid as it usually does. There is no switch or manual input needed for this to happen, it is all automatic. If excess solar energy is generated, it will be exported through your meter and you will get a kWh credit from BC Hydro. This process is called Net Metering. Energy Flow - Daytime/Generation, Exporting Energy Flow - Daytime/Generation, Importing Energy Flow - Nighttime, Importing Net Metering is a major advantage for solar in Kamloops (and all of BC). The kWh reduction on your bill will first reduce your higher Step 2 fees and potentially remove all Step 1 fees too At the time of writing, the Step 2 fees are over $0.14/kWh and Step 1 fees are just under $0.10/kWh with no sign of decreasing anytime soon. Net Metering is why most homes do not need batteries. Excess energy can be sold to BC Hydro for a credit rather than you having to pay to store it. If you are subject to frequent power outages, then installing a home battery such as a Tesla Powerwall may be a great option for you. In this case you are still tied to the grid, but are far less reliant on it
Being “off-grid” means that there are no electric utility lines connecting to your property. You are off the electric utility grid. Off-grid solar power installations work slightly differently than grid-tied solar energy systems since there is no grid to act as your battery. Off-grid solar systems need batteries, and often backup generators to store unused energy and provide energy when the sun isn’t shining. Off-grid solar installs are typically more expensive due to the need for these batteries and a generator. In many instances it can be more cost effective to bring power in from the nearest location than it is to buy batteries and a generator. BC Solar Panel offers various off-grid and DIY off-grid solar packages which can be customized to your exact property and needs