What solar actually does (and doesn't do)
Photovoltaic solar panels generate electricity from sunlight. They reduce the amount of electricity you draw from the grid, which lowers your BC Hydro bill. What they don't do is reduce how much energy your house needs — that's determined by insulation, air sealing, windows, and your heating system. Solar offsets consumption; it doesn't reduce it.
This distinction matters because the payback period on solar depends directly on how much electricity your home uses. A leaky, poorly insulated house with electric baseboards uses far more electricity than a tight, well-insulated house with a heat pump. Installing solar on the inefficient house requires a larger and more expensive array to achieve the same bill reduction.
Reduce consumption first, then size the solar array to what's left. Efficiency upgrades shrink the array you need, lower the upfront solar cost, and often have shorter payback periods than the panels themselves.
Generation potential in Victoria
Victoria has better solar resources than most Canadians expect — roughly 1,300–1,400 peak sun hours annually, comparable to parts of Germany and ahead of the UK. South-facing roofs at a 30–45° pitch are optimal. Shading from trees or neighbouring structures can significantly reduce output and should be assessed before committing.
What a rough estimate looks like
A typical Victoria home with moderate electricity use (10,000–12,000 kWh/year) and a suitable south-facing roof might generate 70–90% of its annual consumption from a 6–8 kW system. Payback periods in BC currently run 10–15 years depending on installation cost and net metering rates. A Home Performance Report can give you a consumption baseline to size against before you get solar quotes.
Thinking about solar? A Home Performance Report gives you an accurate consumption baseline and efficiency roadmap so you can size a solar array correctly and compare payback periods.
Start the questionnaire →