How much could you save by installing solar panels? City unveils calculator

Calgarian Sean McCann installed solar panels on his home in 2018 as part of a provincial rebate program. (Photo submitted)

The City of Calgary has released a new tool that lets Calgarians see the potential financial benefits of installing solar panels on their homes.

The interactive map of the residential solar calculator allows residents to search their address to see the estimated cost of installing photovoltaics to power their home as well as the expected monthly savings on their electricity bill.

Users can input their current monthly electricity consumption to receive a more accurate estimate or select from three generic home sizes.

Utilizing the provided date, the city will provide the optimal number of panels for the home, the solar power generated, as well as the installation cost for buying, leasing or receiving a loan of the panels.

The city also calculates the potential environmental benefits and offers comparisons to the removal of a car from city streets or the number of trees grown for 10 years.

According to the city, the calculator only calculates the benefits for single family homes at the moment, but it may be expanded to include industrial and commercial buildings.

To see the potential benefits of installing solar panels on your home, visit City of Calgary – Residential Solar Calculator.