Saving money is only the tip of the iceberg
Solar is as popular as it has ever been in Alberta right now! Everywhere you look a home, shopping centre or skyrise has solar. Albertans are really starting to take notice of the many benefits of solar. Here are some of the reasons you might want to start considering solar for your home or business.
Solar helps you avoid rising energy costs
Electricity prices have continued to rise in Canada, reaching an all-time high in 2022. When you purchase solar PV panels, you make a commitment to offset grid electricity prices with cheaper renewable energy. The net price (after grants) of your solar panels divided by the total amount of electricity they are expected to generate over their lifetime (25+ years) becomes your new electricity price per kWh. Investing in solar energy allows you to save more and worry less as you mitigate the perpetuating issue of rising electricity costs.
Solar increases your property value
If you are looking for a way to increase the value of your home, solar is an excellent option. Energy costs, like any other recurring cost associated with a home, impact the value of your home. Keeping all other factors equal, a home with low electricity costs should be more valuable than a home with high electricity costs. The exact impact of solar on home value is tough to measure, but low electricity costs are certainly one of the great benefits of solar.
According to Bluewater Energy, solar panels can increase the value of your home by $6,000 per kW installed, resulting in an average increase of 3% to 4% in your home’s total value.
Solar grants = lower electricity price
Who doesn’t love free money!? Grants are definitely one of our favourite benefits of solar. If you live in Canada and are looking to invest in solar for your home you can take advantage of Canada’s Greener Homes Grant. This energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative covers up to $5,000 off the initial cost of solar. As described above, purchasing solar allows you to lock into a lower price for electricity over the life of your panels. So, a grant like this effectively reduces the average price of your electricity.
Solar is more affordable than ever
As a result of advances in solar technology, solar is now among the cheapest forms of electricity in the world. With the cost of panels and electrical equipment currently near all-time lows, the cost per watt for solar is as affordable as ever. In Alberta, Glean has been able to source solar quotes for homeowners for as low as $2.00/Watt. We typically say that the average solar installation cost is ~$15,000-25,000 (before rebates). However, system size, average electricity use, install location and roof characteristics can all affect the total price.
Solar is easy to install
One of the reasons that the cost of solar has declined in recent years is that installation practices have improved. Installing electrical equipment, racking and solar modules has become a relatively straightforward process in most situations. A typical residential solar installation should take around 1-3 days depending on size, install location and roof characteristics.
Solar’s environmental benefits = financial benefits
Since there is a price on carbon federally, those that produce excess carbon pay to pollute our environment. At the same time, those who reduce their carbon emissions can be paid since they are benefiting our environment. This is what is known as the carbon credit market.
For many years only large companies were able to receive payment for reducing their carbon emissions. However, now that renewable energy technologies like solar are becoming more common on residential properties, homeowners are now able to take advantage of the carbon credit market as well.
In the past selling carbon credits as an independent homeowner was too complicated and costly. To solve this, Carbon Credit Developers now aggregate the carbon credits of many homeowners and sell them as a package deal. This means you can now get paid directly to reduce your environmental impact!
Getting the best solar quotes has never been easier!
By now, you must be convinced that solar is a great way to offset your carbon footprint and reduce your electricity costs, but where do you start? Glean sources the best solar quotes from our network of installers to provide you with the best options for your solar project. Solar installers compete for your business so you know you’re getting the best deal!
We ensure all Glean solar quotes include a detailed solar PV system design, solar production estimate, projected utility bill savings, equipment warranties, price comparison, grant/rebate amounts, and more. Glean also highlights important financial metrics you can use to evaluate each option, such as the payback period. Using Glean can save you 20% or more on the price of installing solar simply by receiving multiple quotes, comparing them, and selecting the best value.
Take advantage of the many benefits of solar! Click here to use Glean to get 3 solar quotes for your home. There’s no charge for our service.