Solar Net-Metering Savings Calculator (Canada)
Calculate your annual electricity bill savings under Canadian net metering. Province-by-province rules, retail rate comparison, and Greener Homes Grant integration.
Solar Net-Metering Savings Calculator
Bill without solar
$1,530
Bill with solar
$326
Annual savings
$1,204
Bill reduction
78.7%
How the math works
Annual production: 7,082 kWh
Annual imports: 5,459 kWh · Annual exports: 3,541 kWh
Bill without solar: $1,530 → Bill with solar: $326
How the calculator works
The Solar Net-Metering Savings Calculator estimates your total annual benefit from a Canadian residential PV system under net metering or net billing structures. It tracks the two value streams that determine bill savings:
- Self-consumption — kWh used by your home in real time, always worth your full retail rate.
- Net metering credit — kWh exported to the grid. Worth retail rate in 1:1 provinces (ON, BC, NB, NS, PEI, MB, SK, QC for credits), worth the retailer energy charge only in Alberta micro-gen.
Plug in seven numbers and the calculator returns annual production (kWh), annual imports, annual exports, your gross annual bill (without solar), net bill (with solar), annual savings in C$, and percentage bill reduction.
- System size (kW) — DC nameplate. CanREA marketplace data: average residential install in 2025 was 8 kW DC.
- Peak sun hours/day — NRCan PSH data: Toronto 3.6, Vancouver 3.0, Calgary 4.3, Edmonton 3.8, Halifax 3.4, Montreal 3.7, Winnipeg 4.0, Saskatoon 4.1, Ottawa 3.7.
- Annual usage (kWh) — NRCan 2024 residential averages: ON 9,000, QC 18,500 (electric heat), BC 11,000, AB 7,500, NS 8,500 (oil heat baseline), MB 11,500.
- Retail rate (C$/kWh) — blended TOU or tiered: Toronto Hydro $0.17, BC Hydro Step 2 $0.139, Calgary ENMAX RRO $0.21, Hydro-Québec D-rate $0.085, Halifax NS Power $0.165, Manitoba Hydro $0.105.
- Net-metering credit (C$/kWh) — set to retail for 1:1 provinces; set to retailer energy charge (~$0.07–$0.10) for Alberta.
- Self-consumption (%) — 30–50% without battery, 70–85% with battery.
- Customer charge (annual) — typical $15–$25/month = $180–$300 fixed charge. Non-bypassable.
How the math works
annual_kWh_produced = system_kW × peak_sun_hours × 365 × 0.77
self_consumed = min(annual_use, annual_prod × self_pct/100)
imports_kWh = max(0, annual_use - self_consumed)
exports_kWh = max(0, annual_prod - self_consumed)
gross_bill = annual_use × retail_rate + customer_charge
import_cost = imports_kWh × retail_rate
credit_value = exports_kWh × credit_rate
net_bill = max(customer_charge, import_cost - credit_value + customer_charge)
annual_savings = gross_bill - net_billThe 0.77 performance ratio reflects CSA C22.1 and CanmetENERGY typical residential PV losses: inverter (3%), DC/AC cable (1–2%), snow soiling (3–8% region-dependent), thermal derating in Canadian summer (5%), and module mismatch (1–2%). NRCan’s RETScreen Expert uses 0.75–0.80 in the standard residential template.
Worked example: 7 kW in Toronto under IESO net metering
- System: 7 kW DC, 3.6 PSH (Toronto NRCan), retail $0.17 (Toronto Hydro blended TOU)
- Annual production: 7 × 3.6 × 365 × 0.77 = 7,083 kWh/yr
- Annual usage: 9,000 kWh, customer charge $20/month = $240/year
- Self-consumption 50% no battery → 3,542 kWh × $0.17 = $602.14
- Imports: 9,000 − 3,542 = 5,458 × $0.17 = $927.86
- Exports: 7,083 − 3,542 = 3,541 × $0.17 = $601.97
- Gross bill: 9,000 × $0.17 + $240 = $1,770
- Net bill: max($240, $927.86 − $601.97 + $240) = $565.89
- Annual savings: $1,204 — 68% bill reduction
Worked example: same 7 kW in Calgary under Alberta micro-gen
- System: 7 kW DC, 4.3 PSH (Calgary NRCan), retail $0.21 (ENMAX RRO), credit $0.085 (ENMAX export rate, energy portion)
- Annual production: 7 × 4.3 × 365 × 0.77 = 8,461 kWh/yr
- Annual usage: 7,500 kWh, customer charge $30/month = $360/year
- Self-consumption 50% no battery → 3,750 kWh × $0.21 = $787.50
- Imports: 7,500 − 3,750 = 3,750 × $0.21 = $787.50
- Exports: 8,461 − 3,750 = 4,711 × $0.085 = $400.44
- Gross bill: 7,500 × $0.21 + $360 = $1,935
- Net bill: max($360, $787.50 − $400.44 + $360) = $747.06
- Annual savings: $1,188 — 61% bill reduction
Alberta’s net billing arrangement leaves more value on the table than Ontario’s 1:1 net metering. Battery storage in Alberta is therefore more economically compelling than in Ontario — every shifted kWh moves from $0.085 export to $0.21 retail offset.
Province-by-province snapshot (Q1 2026)
| Province | Programme | Credit rate | Annual true-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | IESO net metering | Retail 1:1 | NEG forfeited at billing anniversary |
| British Columbia | BC Hydro / FortisBC net metering | Retail 1:1 | NEG paid at $0.04 or rolled forward |
| Alberta | Micro-Generation Regulation | Retailer energy charge ($0.07–$0.10) | Monthly net billing |
| Quebec | Hydro-Québec net metering | Retail 1:1 (D-rate) | NEG forfeited March 31 annual |
| Manitoba | Manitoba Hydro net metering | Retail 1:1 (Basic) | NEG settled at year-end |
| Saskatchewan | SaskPower net metering | Retail 1:1 | Monthly net |
| New Brunswick | NB Power Net Metering Service | Retail 1:1 | NEG forfeited year-end |
| Nova Scotia | NS Power Enhanced Net Metering | Retail 1:1 | NEG forfeited year-end |
| PEI | Maritime Electric net metering | Retail 1:1 | NEG forfeited year-end |
| Newfoundland | NL Hydro net billing | Marginal cost ~$0.06 | Net billing |
| Yukon | YEC Microgeneration Programme | Retail tier 1 | Net metering |
| NWT | NTPC net metering pilot | Retail | Net metering |
Sources: provincial utility tariff sheets verified Q1 2026, Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA→CanREA) provincial summaries.
Greener Homes successor programs and the federal ITC
The Canada Greener Homes Grant program closed to new applicants on 12 February 2024 after disbursing the $2.6 billion budget. Pre-approved applicants continue to receive grants through 31 March 2028. The successor programs in 2026:
- Canada Greener Homes Loan — interest-free up to $40,000, 10-year repayment, open to new applicants for solar PV, heat pumps, batteries, and insulation. EnerGuide pre-retrofit evaluation required.
- Greener Homes Affordability Stream — income-tested grant of up to $25,000 for low- and median-income households, administered by ECCC starting 2025.
- Federal Clean Technology Investment Tax Credit — 30% refundable for businesses, plus the related Clean Hydrogen ITC and Clean Electricity ITC. Residential not eligible directly but commercial solar installs benefit.
- Federal Carbon Pricing Rebate — provincial-level CAI payment continues to offset carbon-related costs.
Provincial stacks: BC PST exemption on solar equipment, BC Hydro Home Renovation Rebate; AB Energy Efficiency Alberta Residential Loan; QC Rénoclimat $1,000 grant + Hydro-Québec interest-free loan; SK Home Renovation Tax Credit; ON Greener Homes Loan stacks on top of Save on Energy programs.
Sources
- Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), Photovoltaic Potential and Solar Resource Map of Canada (PSH dataset).
- Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA), 2025 National Solar Survey.
- IESO, Ontario Net Metering Programme guidance 2026.
- BC Hydro, Net Metering Programme Rate Schedule 1289.
- Alberta Utilities Commission, Micro-Generation Regulation AR 27/2008 as amended.
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada Greener Homes Grant and Loan program tables.
- Statistics Canada, Table 25-10-0021-01 Average residential electricity prices.
Frequently asked questions
Does every Canadian province have net metering?
Yes, all ten provinces and the three territories operate a net metering or net billing programme, but the rules differ substantially. Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and PEI all run one-to-one retail-rate net metering for residential systems under 10 kW. Quebec's Hydro-Québec net metering credits at full retail but excess credits forfeit at the annual true-up in March. Manitoba Hydro and SaskPower also run 1:1. The Yukon and Northwest Territories have small-scale net metering pilot programmes. The federal Greener Homes Grant ($5,000 + interest-free loan to $40,000) closed to new applicants 12 February 2024 but pre-approved files continue to receive funding through 31 March 2028.
What is the difference between net metering and net billing in Canada?
Net metering credits exported kWh against imported kWh on the same meter, with the bill calculated on the net difference at retail rate. Net billing prices imports and exports separately — imports at retail, exports at a credit rate (often avoided cost or wholesale). Alberta's Micro-Generation Regulation is technically net billing — exports are credited at the retailer's energy supply rate (the kWh component, excluding distribution and transmission charges), which works out to about 50–65% of the total retail rate. Quebec is 1:1 net metering for residential. Most other provinces use net metering proper.
How much does solar save the average Canadian household in 2026?
A 7 kW system in southern Ontario (Toronto NRCan PSH 3.6) generates about 8,500 kWh/yr. With 50% self-consumption and Toronto Hydro residential time-of-use blended at C$0.17/kWh, the household saves C$1,445 directly. With a 1:1 net metering arrangement the unused export credits cover most of the remaining bill, saving another C$700. Total annual savings $2,100 on a 9,000 kWh household — about 86% bill reduction. NRCan and Solar Industry Magazine 2025 benchmark data show Canadian residential payback in 8–14 years depending on province (BC fastest at 8 years, Quebec slowest at 12–14 due to low retail rates).
Can I still claim the Greener Homes Grant in 2026?
Not for new applications — the Canada Greener Homes Grant closed to new applicants on 12 February 2024. However, the parallel Canada Greener Homes Loan (interest-free up to $40,000, repayable over 10 years) remains open for residential energy efficiency and renewable installations, with the new ECCC-administered Greener Homes Affordability Stream targeting low-to-median income households. Pre-approved Greener Homes Grant files (those who got their EnerGuide pre-retrofit before the close date) continue to receive the $5,000 grant — the program window for those applicants runs through 31 March 2028. The federal Clean Technology Investment Tax Credit (Bill C-69, Royal Assent 2024) at 30% remains available for businesses, residential remediation projects, and Indigenous-led builds.
Should I size my system to my full annual usage or aim for surplus?
Match your annual usage as closely as possible — most Canadian net metering programs forfeit excess credits at the annual true-up. Ontario IESO net metering: NEG forfeited at true-up (typically your billing anniversary). BC Hydro: NEG paid out at very low rate ($0.04 average) or rolled forward depending on year. Quebec: forfeited at March annual true-up. Alberta: NEG settled at retailer's purchase rate, which is typically 5–9c/kWh. Sizing 90–100% of annual use captures the full retail-rate value of exports without giving away kWh at low buyback rates. Use the [how many solar panels do I need calculator](/calculators/how-many-solar-panels-do-i-need/) for the right size.