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Installing solar panels has never been more rewarding in Alberta! For homeowners who want to maximize savings and help reduce carbon, the Alberta Solar Club is for you.
We will dive into what the Alberta Solar Club is, highlight the benefits, and relay everything you need to know about it.
In Alberta, more residents are looking at the option of going solar and asking the question, what is the Alberta Solar Club?
The Alberta Solar club is a program that adjusts your electricity rate to a flexible rate plan.
Through this membership program, micro-generators (solar power producers) choose between a high (HI) and low (LO) rate plan depending on how much solar they are producing and how much electricity they are importing.
The program is built out to encourage residents to go solar, help solar producers earn a premium on their solar electricity, and help further green Alberta’s electricity grid.
The structure of the program is built around a 2-rate system. A HI rate for summer months and a LO rate for winter months:
During months where you are a net solar exporter to the grid – typically spring, summer, and early autumn – your electricity rate is the HI rate. Being a net exporter means you sell more solar energy to the grid than you import from the grid. This is reflected on your power bill as having a higher micro-generation credit than your electrical energy consumption.
During months where you are a net importer from the grid – typically late autumn, winter, and early spring – you change back to the LO rate.
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You get to choose the exact date you change from the LO to the HI rate based on your exact solar production and home consumption so that you never pay more than you should.
High solar production in the summer generally corresponds to low electricity consumption as the days are longer, there is a reduced need for heat, and many people are out of the house enjoying summer. So, what happens to the excess energy produced? It goes back to the grid via your bi-directional meter.
In short, you pay for cheap electricity when you import lots from the grid, and you get paid at a higher rate when you export more to the grid.
The HI and LO solar club rates are approximately $0.30/kWh and $0.10/kWh.
That’s right, you get roughly triple the energy rate during your net-export months!
It is important to change over to the LO rate as all the electricity you import from the grid is also charged at the HI rate. It is only beneficial if you are exporting more than you are importing.
During the summer months you will start to build up a very large negative credit on your electricity bill. Every month after that your credit will build and your savings will really start to take off. Come fall/winter, you will start to draw down from this credit during the fall and winter months. This credit will also apply to all those other stubborn fees you see like transmission, distribution, and admin charges on your monthly bills.
As a Solar Club member, you will receive a 3% cash-back reward on all imported electrical energy. This further enhances your ROI from solar panels.
You can now get a portion of monthly expenditure taken care of just by joining the program.
The key part of the program is that you are not locked into that rate year-round. When winter comes you simply switch to the low rate and allow that consumption credit to last longer. This eases the transition into higher consumption and lower production for winter.
Overall, the program helps create substantial financial relief in your utility costs, with many customers seeing a credit upwards of $500+ per year!
These are savings no one would refuse.
Contact us today to learn more about the benefits of Solar Club! Sign up for our newsletter for monthly reminders on when you should change over to the hi or low rates too!
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When to change from HI to LO rates depends on your homes consumption and your solar production. The average home should change from HI to LO rate in September or October and back from LO to HI in March or April.
Ready to take the leap? It is as simple as this:
1. Install your solar power system & install you bi-directional meter
2. Sign up for Alberta Solar Club here
3. Monitor your consumption and production to change over at the best time
If you’re ever in doubt, you can always reach out to Kuby Energy for more information.
The Alberta Solar Club empowers homeowners to make the save the most money from their solar power system. By using flexible rate plans and receiving a 3% cash back incentive, you can maximize your savings and ROI from solar.
Solar energy in Alberta has never been more profitable thanks to creative programs like the Solar Club.
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