Solar in British Columbia
What a typical home in Vancouver can expect, the rules for power you send back to the grid, and the incentives that are actually open today.
A sample home in Vancouver
Our sample house with a $180 monthly bill on BC Hydro’s residential step rate plan, sized for the best long-term return.
- System
- 15.5 kW
- Yearly production
- 14,928 kWh
- Per kW installed
- 964 kWh
- Year-1 savings
- $2,028
- Cost after rebates
- $45,511
- Pays back in
- 18.8 years
Not recommended for this sample
The system pays for itself in about 18.8 years of a 25-year life. It can cover about 99% of the electricity you use in a year.
Check your own home
Your roof, your bill, your utility. About a minute.
Or try a sample roof: , ,
Power you send back
BC Hydro net metering, annual true-up
Every kWh you export earns a credit against power you take from the grid later. Credits last 12 months, so a sunny summer can cover part of winter.
What it costs
Installed prices in British Columbia typically run $2.60 to $3.27 per watt, so a 7 kW system is roughly $18,200 to $22,890 before any rebate. Source
Incentives
Canada Greener Homes GrantClosed
Closed to new applicants in 2024. Don't budget around it unless you already have an approved file.
Canada Greener Homes LoanClosed
The interest-free federal loan closed to new applicants on October 1, 2025.
Utilities we price
- BC Hydro
Step 1 threshold shown per month (1,350 kWh per two-month billing period).
Other provinces: Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador