Updated Sep. 2026
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Solar & Battery Payback Calculator

Estimate year-one electricity value, simple payback and 25-year undiscounted net savings. Separate the value of solar generation from the extra economics of adding a home battery.

Location
System & bill
Payback
Find a Canadian city cost guide (optional)
No email requiredInputs stay in your browserAll assumptions editableCanadian dollars

Solar project details

Use a quote and a recent electricity bill where possible. The defaults are only starting points.

Start with your real numbersProvince sets a broad solar-production starting point. You can overwrite every assumption.
Broad planning default. Replace with a site-specific production estimate.
Battery scenario
Battery households often use more solar onsite. Adjust for your load pattern.
Rebates & long-run assumptions
Only applies when British Columbia is selected. Eligibility is not guaranteed.
Kept separate from retail-rate growth because utility export compensation can follow different rules.
Planning model only — not an installer quote, utility bill forecast, tax opinion or rebate approval. Utility rates, export compensation, solar production and incentive eligibility can change. Confirm current program terms before signing a contract.
How the math works

A payback estimate should separate four different things.

1. Solar production. The model multiplies the system size by an editable annual production estimate and a roof/orientation factor. Natural Resources Canada publishes photovoltaic-potential mapping in kWh per installed kW; the provincial defaults here are broad planning starting points, not site-specific forecasts.

2. Electricity used in the home. Electricity consumed behind the meter is valued at the rate you would otherwise pay. The model prevents onsite solar use from exceeding your stated annual consumption.

3. Electricity exported to the grid. Exported energy is valued separately because provincial and utility compensation rules differ. Enter the credit that actually applies to your account rather than assuming every exported kWh is worth the retail price.

4. Upfront cost after incentives. Solar cost, battery cost and confirmed incentives determine the amount that has to be recovered through future electricity value. Simple payback is net cost divided by estimated year-one net value; the 25-year result also models separate retail-rate and export-credit growth assumptions plus solar-panel degradation.

Province matters

Solar compensation is not one Canada-wide program.

Use your actual utility terms. These examples explain why the calculator keeps export value and incentives editable.

British Columbia

BC Hydro currently offers eligible residential solar rebates of $1,000/kW up to $5,000, subject to a 50% eligible-cost cap. Eligible residential batteries are $500/kWh, capped at $1,500 when paired with solar or up to $5,000 when the eligible battery is enrolled in Peak Saver, also subject to the 50% cost cap and a minimum eligible battery capacity of 5 kWh. New BC Hydro self-generation customers are under the newer self-generation service rate rather than the closed legacy net-metering rate. As of June 1, 2026, eligible solar and battery installations must be completed by a Home Performance Contractor Network (HPCN) member. To qualify for the higher Peak Saver battery rebate, the customer must enrol an eligible battery for Peak Saver control events within 14 calendar days of its in-service date. This calculator estimates rebates only for solar and solar-plus-battery scenarios; BC Hydro also has battery-only program pathways that are not modelled here. It cannot verify those conditions or guarantee approval.

BC Hydro program →Program summary checked October 2026; verify eligibility with BC Hydro before applying.
Ontario

Ontario net metering values electricity sent to the grid using the same rates charged for consumption, with unused credits carried forward for up to 12 months. Connection availability and requirements depend on the local distributor.

Ontario net metering →
Alberta

Residential solar commonly operates under Alberta's micro-generation framework. Small micro-generators can receive credits for exported electricity, while fixed delivery and administration charges can remain on the bill.

Alberta micro-generation →
Saskatchewan

SaskPower's net-metering program supports eligible generation up to 100 kW. SaskPower currently states that it does not offer a residential solar installation rebate, so do not assume a grant unless another program applies.

SaskPower net metering →
Make the estimate better

Five inputs matter more than almost everything else.

Your installed quote

Use the actual turnkey amount, including equipment, labour and the parts of permitting/interconnection that are included in your quote. A low equipment-only advertisement is not the same project cost.

Your real electricity rate

Use the energy value that solar can actually offset. Fixed customer charges may remain even when solar production is high, particularly in markets where delivery and administration charges are not avoided by onsite generation.

Site-specific production

Roof direction, tilt, shade, snow, equipment losses and local solar resource change annual output. The province preset is deliberately editable because a good installer or production model can give you a much more specific estimate.

Self-consumption

Solar electricity used immediately in the home can be more valuable than electricity exported to the grid when export compensation is lower. Batteries can move some daytime generation into evening use, but the economics depend on the difference between those two values.

Incentives you actually qualify for

Never treat a headline maximum as guaranteed money. Program territory, product eligibility, contractor requirements, application timing and funding availability can all matter.

Next comparison

Run solar alone before assuming the battery pays for itself.

Set battery capacity and battery cost to zero, note the solar-only payback, then add the battery. That isolates whether storage improves the financial result or is mainly buying backup capability and energy flexibility.

Compare heat-pump operating savings →
1Use a real quote
2Check utility terms
3Confirm incentives

Stress-test the payback instead of trusting one forecast

Solar production, utility rates, export credits, battery cycling, degradation and financing assumptions all affect payback. Use at least three scenarios: a conservative production case, the best estimate from your quote, and a lower-value export or electricity-rate case. The range between those scenarios is often more useful than a single simple-payback number.

Natural Resources Canada publishes Canadian solar-resource tools and notes that grid-connected systems may need utility authorization and must meet local electrical and building requirements. Verify those local rules and interconnection terms before treating exported electricity as guaranteed value.

Official references: NRCan photovoltaic tools ↗ · NRCan solar PV in buildings ↗.

Planning the next step?

Read our Solar Panels and Battery Payback in Canada: Avoid Double-Counting Savings guide for scope, assumptions, risks and the questions to ask before obtaining a quote.