{"id":7917,"date":"2024-07-31T10:43:10","date_gmt":"2024-07-31T16:43:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/solarclub.flywheelstaging.com\/?p=7917"},"modified":"2024-07-31T10:57:48","modified_gmt":"2024-07-31T16:57:48","slug":"solar-in-alberta-ask-the-experts-part-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/solarclub.ca\/solar-club-news\/solar-in-alberta-ask-the-experts-part-two\/","title":{"rendered":"Solar in Alberta: Ask the Experts Part Two"},"content":{"rendered":"
As we continue our deep dive into Alberta’s thriving solar industry, Part Two of our blog picks up where we left off, bringing you more valuable insights from our panel of experts. In this installment, we further explore the critical aspects of installing solar, providing detailed answers to the questions that matter most to you.<\/p>\n
Stay with us as we continue to uncover the transformative potential of solar energy in Alberta. Dive into Part Two to complete your knowledge and get inspired to join the solar revolution in one of Canada\u2019s sunniest and most forward-thinking regions.<\/p>\n
Part Two of Ask the Experts can be found below. If you missed Part One, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Solar Club:<\/strong> There have been some changes to the Canada Greener Homes Grant program. What grants or funding are available for people looking to install solar on their homes?<\/span><\/p>\n Kuby Renewable Energy:<\/strong> While the Canada Greener Homes Grant has stopped accepting new applications, there is potential for new grant programs in the future. Changes in available grants and funding can happen rapidly, so it’s advisable to stay informed on the latest updates from the government.<\/p>\n If you are considering installing solar on your home, the interest-free loan can provide significant financial relief and make solar installation a viable option for many homeowners.<\/p>\n One can also sell the carbon offset credits as another source of revenue, which is a relatively new bonus offering to consumers.<\/p>\n Zeno Renewables:<\/strong> Today, Canadian homeowners that want to go solar can take advantage of the Canada Greener Homes Loan. Canadians can borrow up to $40,000 and receive interest-free financing for up to 10 years. Many of our clients don\u2019t typically use up the full loan amount when going solar alone but they can maximize this opportunity by combining the loan with other eligible energy-efficient retrofits.<\/p>\n Solar AB:<\/strong> While the Canada Greener Homes Grant is currently unavailable, there are a few other financial incentives available to encourage solar adoption. We have a full list of available incentives on our website here. Two incentives of note are:<\/p>\n Solar Club:<\/strong> Customers often ask us if the quotes they\u2019ve received are reasonable. What is a reasonable dollar per watt for an average solar PV system? Is there a reasonableness test they can apply?<\/span><\/p>\n Kuby:<\/strong> When it comes to evaluating the reasonableness of quotes for solar PV systems, there are various factors to consider that can impact the cost per watt. These factors include:<\/p>\n Given these variables, a reasonable cost per watt for an average solar PV system on a pitched roof can range from $2.15 to $3.80. To assess whether a quote is reasonable, customers should compare quotes from multiple reputable providers, ensuring that all quotes include similar scopes of work, system sizes, and equipment quality.<\/p>\n Zeno:<\/strong> When assessing the reasonableness of quotes for solar PV systems, it’s important for customers to consider several factors that can impact the cost per watt ($\/W). Generally, the price range for an average solar PV system is between $2.50\/W and $3.50\/W. However, this can vary based on numerous factors. When getting quotes from different solar companies, in addition to what was mentioned above, it is important to keep the following information in mind:<\/p>\n Customers can apply a “reasonableness test” by evaluating quotes based on these factors:<\/p>\n Solar AB:<\/strong> A typical solar system on a home in Alberta can range from $15,000 – $30,000 depending on the size, location, roof specs as well as a variety of other factors. We recommend soliciting at least three quotes as well as references and proof of insurance before choosing a solar installer. If folks want to do more of a deep dive into pricing considerations, we suggest looking at the Alberta Solar Calculator and\/or downloading our Economics of Grid-Tied Solar PV course.<\/p>\n Solar Club:<\/strong> What should consumers be looking for when they receive a quote from a solar installer?<\/span><\/p>\n Kuby:<\/strong> When consumers receive a quote from a solar installer, there are several key factors they should examine to ensure they make an informed decision:<\/p>\n Zeno:<\/strong> There are many key factors homeowners should consider when getting solar quotes. Building off this list, you should also consider:<\/p>\n Solar AB:<\/strong> We have a number of resources available on our website to help you reach the right installer! Here are the resources we recommend:<\/p>\n To ensure you find the right installer, we have compiled this list of recommended tips and tricks<\/a>. These are a few of the most important tips:<\/p>\n Solar Club:<\/strong> \u00a0How has the Solar Club benefitted your customers\/members?<\/span><\/p>\n Kuby:<\/strong> The Solar Club has provided significant benefits to our customers by helping them maximize their solar energy savings. On average, customers save an additional $300 to $500 per year, which represents a notable increase in savings beyond what solar energy alone could offer. By taking advantage of the Club’s offerings, customers can optimize their solar power systems and make their transition to renewable energy even more cost-effective and rewarding.<\/p>\n Zeno:<\/strong> We recommend the Solar Club rate to clients who are high export producers of solar during the spring and summer months. This is financially advantageous as it builds them a bigger credit during this time period and it allows them to reach a faster payback for their system.<\/p>\n Solar AB:<\/strong> Solar-specific retail plans have served as an additional financial incentive for folks to adopt solar energy in the province. Due to the nature of these pricing plans, which allow folks to opt into different electricity rates (higher during the summer and lower during the winter), microgenerators are able to speed up their Return on Investment. These programs have been particularly important during periods where grants and rebates are not available. Not only do solar-specific retail plans benefit our individual microgenerating members, but they also benefit our Business Members. Our business members have a more steady customer base due to the steady financial incentive of these retail plans.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Thank you very much to our respective experts for taking the time to provide us with a wealth of information. For more information from our experts, check out their websites:<\/p>\n Kuby Renewable Energy<\/a> \/ Zeno Renewables<\/a> \/ Solar Alberta<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7918,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7917","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-solar-club-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/solarclub.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7917"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/solarclub.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/solarclub.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solarclub.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solarclub.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7917"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/solarclub.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7917\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7930,"href":"https:\/\/solarclub.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7917\/revisions\/7930"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solarclub.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7918"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/solarclub.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solarclub.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7917"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solarclub.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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