NorthSolarCalc

NorthSolarCalc › By State › Ontario

🍁 Ontario Solar Panel Calculator

Ontario's electricity rates and full net metering make solar a worthwhile investment to evaluate.

Rates and incentive status reviewed 2026-07-27

CA$
CA$20CA$800+

Avg rate: CA$0.13/kWh · 4.3 peak sun hrs/day

Your Solar Estimate for Ontario

Rates and incentive status reviewed 2026-07-27

11 kW

System Size

recommended

19 yrs

Payback Period

break-even

CA$31,441

25-Year Savings

net profit

1.8t

CO₂ Offset

per year

Gross installation costCA$34,185
Currently verified incentivesCA$0
Estimated net costCA$34,185
Annual electricity savingsCA$1,800/yr

This estimate does not deduct the expired US federal 30% residential tax credit (ended for spending after 2025-12-31) or the closed Canada Greener Homes Grant/Loan. It also does not assume any unverified state, provincial, or utility rebate. See methodology and confirm current incentives with your state/province, utility, or a tax professional before budgeting for one.

Ready for a precise quote? Compare local installers — free, no obligation.

Get Free Local Solar Quotes →

Via EnergySage. This is a partner link — see our affiliate disclosure.

Ontario Solar Facts

CA$0.13/kWh

Avg Electricity Rate

4.3 hours

Daily Peak Sun Hours

Grant & Loan closed

Federal Incentive Status

Electricity rate: U.S. EIA / Statistics Canada utility filings. Peak sun hours: NREL PVWatts. Federal incentive status verified against IRS.gov and Natural Resources Canada. See methodology for full assumptions.

Net Metering in Ontario

Ontario offers full net metering — you receive full retail credit for excess solar energy sent back to the grid. This maximizes your savings and shortens your payback period.

Net metering rules are set by state/provincial regulators and utilities and can change — confirm current terms with your utility before purchasing.

Utility Landscape in Ontario

Ontario runs net metering province-wide through the IESO and local distribution companies such as Toronto Hydro and Hydro One, crediting exported solar against future consumption on a 1:1 kWh basis. This is a change from Ontario's old microFIT program, a feed-in tariff that paid a fixed premium price for every kWh exported regardless of how much you used yourself — microFIT closed to new applicants years ago, so any solar economics you find quoting that era's numbers no longer apply. Today's system in Ontario is sized to offset your own usage, not to sell power at a premium.

How Solar Varies Within Ontario

Southern Ontario's Toronto–Windsor corridor gets both milder winters and more annual sun hours than Northern Ontario, where longer, colder winters push up heating-driven electricity use even as available sun hours drop — the opposite combination from what maximizes solar payback.

Worth Knowing Locally

Ontario's net metering currently limits system size to your own historical consumption (you generally can't install a system sized to export significantly more than you use), which caps how large a system makes financial sense regardless of available roof space.

What This Estimate Does Not Assume

This calculator does not automatically apply the expired US federal 30% residential tax credit, the closed Canada Greener Homes Grant or Loan, or any unconfirmed provincial or utility rebate for Ontario. If you find a currently active program, confirm it with the issuing agency — we link the general databases we trust in our methodology page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is solar worth it in Ontario?+
Ontario's electricity rates and full net metering make solar a worthwhile investment to evaluate. With a payback period calculated from local rates of CA$0.13/kWh and 4.3 peak sun hours per day, solar is worth evaluating on its gross-cost numbers in Ontario — use the calculator above with your own bill for a personalized estimate.
Does Ontario still get the 30% federal solar tax credit in 2026?+
No. The Canada Greener Homes Grant is closed to new applicants and the Canada Greener Homes Loan has stopped accepting new applications. This calculator does not assume either program. Check Natural Resources Canada and your provincial energy office for any current program.
How long does solar take to pay back in Ontario?+
Gross payback period in Ontario depends on your monthly electricity bill, roof orientation, and system size. Use the calculator above with your actual monthly bill for a personalized estimate based on local rates of CA$0.13/kWh.

Ready for a Real Ontario Quote?

Compare quotes from pre-screened local Ontario installers. Free, no obligation.

Get Free Ontario Solar Quotes →

Via EnergySage — a partner link, see our affiliate disclosure.