ABOUT SOLAR
G-BEAR SOLAR'S GOAL IS TO MAKE SOLAR EASIER FOR YOU!
HOW SOLAR ELECTRICITY FLOWS
A ROOFTOP SOLAR ARRAY IS A COLLECTION OF SOLAR PANELS INSTALLED ON THE ROOF OF A BUILDING.
EACH SOLAR PANEL CONSISTS OF CELLS THAT CONVERT SUNLIGHT INTO D/C ELECTRICITY.
INVERTERS THEN CONVERT D/C ELECTRICITY
INTO USABLE A/C ELECTRICITY
WHICH FLOWS INTO YOUR ELECTRICAL PANEL
AND THEN EITHER OUT TO THE GRID OR TO THE ELECTRICAL LOADS OF YOUR HOME.
YOUR ELECTRICITY METER WILL MONITOR AND RECORD THE FLOW OF ELECTRICITY INTO AND OUT OF YOUR HOME
SO YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL IS ACCURATE.
HOW SOLAR ELECTRICITY FLOWS
DURING THE DAY, WHEN THE SOLAR ARRAY IS PRODUCING ELECTRICITY AND YOU ARE USING ELECTRICITY, THE SOLAR ELECTRICITY WILL FIRST GET USED IN YOUR HOME.
THE SOLAR ELECTRICITY REPLACES GRID ELECTRICITY, WHICH REDUCES YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL COST.
IN THIS SITUATION, YOU ALSO AVOID VARIABLE TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION COSTS WHICH PROVIDES ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL BENEFIT.
HOW SOLAR ELECTRICITY FLOWS
YOU SELL ELECTRICITY TO THE GRID WHEN THE AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY PRODUCED BY THE SOLAR ARRAY IS GREATER THAN THE AMOUNT YOU ARE USING INSIDE YOUR HOME.
THIS OCCURS ON SUNNY DAYS WHEN YOU ARE USING LESS ELECTRICITY THAN YOUR SOLAR ARRAY IS PRODUCING.
YOUR ELECTRICITY METER MEASURES HOW MUCH ELECTRICITY YOU ARE EXPORTING SO YOU CAN RECEIVE A CREDIT ON YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL. YOU WON’T END UP MAKING MONEY ON YOUR BILL HOWEVER IF YOUR CREDIT GROWS LARGE ENOUGH, YOU CARRY IT OVER INTO SUBSEQUENT MONTHS.
GRID ELECTRICITY IS USED IN YOUR HOME
GRID ELECTRICITY IS USED IN YOUR HOME ON CLOUDY DAYS OR AT NIGHT BECAUSE THE SOLAR ARRAY WON’T PRODUCE ENOUGH ELECTRICITY TO MEET YOUR ELECTRICAL NEEDS.
IN THIS SITUATION, YOU IMPORT ELECTRICITY FROM THE GRID AS YOU WOULD BEFORE GETTING SOLAR.
YOU ARE PAYING FOR THIS ELECTRICITY IN THE SAME WAY AS BEFORE YOU HAD SOLAR. ALTHOUGH YOUR TOTAL BILL IS LESS DUE TO THE TWO SITUATIONS ABOVE.
THE GRID CAN BE YOUR BATTERY
SINCE EXCESS ELECTRICITY IS SENT TO THE GRID WHEN YOU DON’T NEED IT, AND ELECTRICITY CAN BE IMPORTED BACK FROM THE GRID WHEN YOU DO NEED IT, THE GRID ACTS AS YOUR BATTERY.
MANY PEOPLE THINK THAT ALL SOLAR INSTALLATIONS NEED BATTERIES HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE GRID ALLOWS YOU TO EXPORT AND IMPORT ELECTRICITY FREELY, YOU DON’T NEED TO INSTALL EXPENSIVE BATTERIES.
HOW CAN G-BEAR HELP ME?
GARETT MARTYN IS A BROKER OF SOLAR QUOTES. HE IS PARTNERED WITH SOLAR INSTALLERS THAT HE HAS VERIFIED AND VETTED. HE PROVIDES YOU WITH AT LEAST 3 SOLAR QUOTES, AN EASY-TO-COMPARE QUOTE SUMMARY (THAT INCLUDES A DETAILED FINANCIAL ANALYSIS) AND A QUOTE REVIEW CALL TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
HIS SERVICE IS FREE BECAUSE A SERVICE FEE IS COLLECTED FROM THE INSTALLER WHOSE QUOTE IS CHOSEN.
THE BEST WAY TO GET THE BALL ROLLING IS TO FILL OUT YOUR INFORMATION BY CLICKING THE BUTTON BELOW.
SOLAR FAQ
NOW THAT YOU KNOW A BIT ABOUT HOW SOLAR WORKS, YOU PROBABLY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS!
HERE’S A LIST OF OUR MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
HOW IS SOLAR ELECTRICITY GENERATED? SOLAR PANELS CONVERT SUNLIGHT INTO D/C ELECTRICITY WHICH FLOWS THROUGH A DEVICE CALLED AN INVERTER THAT CREATES USABLE A/C ELECTRICITY. THE A/C ELECTRICITY IS THEN USED IN YOUR HOME REPLACING ELECTRICITY THAT YOU WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE PURCHASED FROM THE GRID, WHICH REDUCES YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL COST.
WHAT HAPPENS AT NIGHT? ON CLOUDY DAYS OR AT NIGHT, THE SOLAR PANELS WON’T PRODUCE ENOUGH ELECTRICITY TO FEED YOUR ELECTRICAL LOADS. IN THIS SITUATION, YOU IMPORT ELECTRICITY FROM THE GRID AS YOU WOULD BEFORE GETTING SOLAR. YOU PAY FOR THIS ELECTRICITY IN THE SAME WAY AS BEFORE YOU HAD SOLAR.
ARE $0 ELECTRICITY BILLS POSSIBLE? IN ALBERTA THE SOLAR CLUB ALLOWS YOU TO BUILD UP A SIGNIFICANT CREDIT IN THE SUMMER MONTHS. IN SOME CASES, PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO HAVE $0 ELECTRICITY BILLS ALL YEAR ROUND. THIS IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE SOLAR CLUB CREDIT IS A FINANCIAL CREDIT, SO IT CAN BE APPLIED TO FIXED FEES. A SOLAR ARRAY THAT COVERS AT LEAST 100% OF YOUR ANNUAL ELECTRICITY NEEDS (NET-ZERO) IS REQUIRED TO MAKE $0 BILLS POSSIBLE.
HOW MANY SOLAR PANELS DO I NEED? IT DEPENDS! IF POSSIBLE, SOLAR INSTALLERS WILL SIZE YOUR SYSTEM TO COVER YOUR ANNUAL ELECTRICITY NEEDS (NET-ZERO ELECTRICALLY). IN SOME CASES, YOU MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH ROOF SPACE TO REACH NET ZERO. EVEN A SYSTEM THAT DOESN’T GET YOU TO NET-ZERO ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION CAN STILL BE A GREAT FINANCIAL INVESTMENT.
HOW ARE SOLAR PANELS MOUNTED? THERE ARE TWO MAIN WAYS THAT SOLAR PANELS CAN BE MOUNTED ON YOUR PROPERTY ROOFTOP SOLAR – THIS IS THE MOST COMMON WAY TO MOUNT SOLAR PANELS. A RACKING SYSTEM IS USED TO MOUNT THE SOLAR PANELS TO THE ROOF OF A BUILDING. YOUR RACKING SYSTEM IS DESIGNED AND STAMPED BY ENGINEERS TO ENSURE IT IS SECURE AND SAFE. GROUND-MOUNTED SOLAR – SOLAR PANELS CAN ALSO BE MOUNTED ON THE GROUND WHEN ROOF SPACE IS LIMITED AND LAND IS AVAILABLE. THIS IS TYPICALLY 10% – 25% MORE EXPENSIVE THAN MOUNTING SOLAR ON YOUR ROOF DUE TO LONGER CABLE RUNS, INCREASED RACKING MATERIALS AND PILING COSTS.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I NEED TO REPLACE MY SHINGLES? THE RULE OF THUMB IS IF YOUR ROOF HAS LESS THAN 5 YEARS OF LIFE LEFT ON IT, YOU SHOULD REPLACE THE SHINGLES BEFORE GETTING SOLAR. SOLAR WILL EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE SHINGLES UNDERNEATH. IF YOU DO NEED TO REMOVE THE SOLAR FOR A ROOF REPLACEMENT DOWN THE ROAD, YOU COULD EXPECT TO ADD $2,000 – $4,000 TO THE COST OF YOUR ROOF REPLACEMENT. THE SOLAR PANELS WILL BE REMOVED AND THE ROOFERS WILL REPLACE THE SHINGLES AROUND THE RACKING.
HOW MUCH DOES SOLAR COST? WITH NO SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR HOME, TYPICALLY, IT'S BEST TO START THE CONVERSATION AT AN AVERAGE INSTALLATION COST OF $15,000 – $30,000 BEFORE GRANTS. HAVING A STEEP ROOF, LARGE SOLAR ARRAY OR RURAL PROPERTY ARE FACTORS THAT TEND TO LEAD TO HIGHER TOTAL SOLAR INSTALLATION COSTS. IF YOU REACH OUT TO US WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH A ROUGH COST RANGE BASED ON RECENT QUOTES WE HAVE SEEN FOR PROPERTIES SIMILAR TO YOURS.
CAN I EXPAND MY SYSTEM LATER? YES, IF YOU THINK THAT YOUR USAGE WILL INCREASE IN THE FUTURE OR YOU ONLY HAVE A BUDGET TO START WITH A SMALLER SYSTEM, WE CAN SIZE THE INVERTER TO ALLOW ROOM FOR MORE SOLAR PANELS IN THE FUTURE. HOWEVER, FOR COST REASONS, IT IS IDEAL IF YOU ONLY NEED TO INSTALL SOLAR ONCE. A SOLAR ARRAY CAN BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE BATTERY STORAGE. THE WIRING OF YOUR GRID-TIED SYSTEM CAN BE EASILY CHANGED TO FEED INTO YOUR CRITICAL LOADS PANEL OR BATTERY BANK, ENSURING THAT YOU HAVE POWER DURING OUTAGES. NOTE THAT BATTERIES CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE.
DO SOLAR PANELS NEED MAINTENANCE? UNLIKE THE ENGINE IN YOUR CAR, SOLAR PANELS ARE A VERY SIMPLE TECHNOLOGY WITH NO MOVING PARTS AND DON’T REQUIRE MUCH MAINTENANCE. IN SOME CASES, A PANEL MAY MALFUNCTION AND NEED REPLACEMENT WHICH WOULD FALL UNDER THE MANUFACTURER’S WARRANTY. WITH A GRID-TIED SYSTEM, YOU MAY NEED TO MANUALLY REMOVE LEAVES OR OTHER DEBRIS THAT DROP ON THE PANELS OVER TIME.
WHAT ABOUT ROOF LEAKS? ALL GLEAN SOLAR INSTALLERS WILL OFFER AN INSTALLATION WARRANTY OF 1-5 YEARS THAT COVERS ROOF LEAK ISSUES. HOWEVER, IF THE INSTALLATION IS DONE PROPERLY AND BY PROFESSIONALS, YOU DON’T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT ROOF LEAKS.
WILL SOLAR AFFECT MY HOME VALUE? A HOME WITH LOW ELECTRICITY BILLS WILL BE MORE VALUABLE THAN A HOME WITH HIGH ELECTRICITY BILLS (ALL OTHER THINGS EQUAL). ADDITIONALLY, AS THE PRICE OF GRID ELECTRICITY GOES UP YOUR HOME WITH LOW ELECTRICITY BILLS WILL INCREASE IN VALUE.
DO I NEED A NEW ROOF? WHEN YOU INSTALL A SOLAR ARRAY IT DOES ADD QUITE A BIT OF EQUIPMENT ON TOP OF THE ROOF: THE ENTIRE SCAFFOLDING FOR THE PANELS, WIRING, ETC. THIS MEANS THAT ANY ROOFING PROJECTS SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE THE PANELS GO UP, IF POSSIBLE.
DO I NEED BATTERIES? NO! MOST SOLAR INSTALLATIONS ARE GRID-CONNECTED SOLAR. THIS MEANS THAT THE GRID ACTS AS YOUR BATTERY ALLOWING YOU TO SEND EXCESS ELECTRICITY TO THE GRID AND IMPORT ELECTRICITY FROM THE GRID WHEN NEEDED. BATTERIES ARE AN EXTRA OPTION TO POWER YOUR HOME DURING BLACKOUTS.
CAN I SELL ELECTRICITY TO THE GRID? YES, YOU WILL EXPORT EXCESS SOLAR ELECTRICITY TO THE GRID WHEN THE AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY PRODUCED BY THE SOLAR ARRAY IS GREATER THAN THE AMOUNT YOU ARE USING INSIDE YOUR BUILDING. YOU EARN A CREDIT ON YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL TO BE USED AT NIGHT OR IN THE WINTER. ESSENTIALLY THE GRID ACTS AS YOUR BATTERY!
WHAT IS THE SOLAR CLUB? THE SOLAR CLUB IS A NON-GOVERNMENT PROGRAM THAT IMPROVES COST SAVINGS FOR OWNERS OF SOLAR PV IN ALBERTA. SOLAR CLUB MEMBERS CAN SWITCH BETWEEN A HIGH ELECTRICITY RATE (APPROXIMATELY $0.25/KWH) AND A LOW ELECTRICITY RATE (APPROXIMATELY $0.07/KWH) DEPENDING ON SEASONAL VARIATION IN THEIR SOLAR ENERGY PRODUCTION.
WHAT TYPES OF SOLAR ARE THERE? THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOLAR PANEL SYSTEMS: GRID-CONNECTED SOLAR – THIS IS THE MOST COMMON SYSTEM. YOUR HOME REMAINS CONNECTED TO THE GRID. YOU ARE ABLE TO SELL ELECTRICITY TO THE GRID WHEN YOUR SOLAR IS OVERPRODUCING AND DRAW ELECTRICITY FROM THE GRID WHEN YOUR SOLAR IS UNDERPRODUCING. THE GRID ACTS AS YOUR BATTERY! OFF-GRID SOLAR – THIS REQUIRES BATTERIES OR SOME TYPE OF ENERGY STORAGE DEVICE. OFF-GRID SOLAR CAN BE GREAT IN SITUATIONS WHERE A GRID ELECTRICAL CONNECTION IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE OR WHEN THE GRID IS UNRELIABLE. BATTERIES ARE VERY EXPENSIVE AND RARELY MAKE SENSE FROM A PURELY FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE. HYBRID SYSTEM – IT IS POSSIBLE TO REMAIN CONNECTED TO THE GRID AND HAVE A BATTERY BACKUP IN CASE THE GRID GOES DOWN. THE BATTERY WILL PROVIDE POWER TO “ESSENTIAL LOADS” DURING A BLACKOUT.
WHAT ARE THE PROS/CONS OF GROUND MOUNT SOLAR? PROS: CAN BE ALIGNED PERFECTLY SOUTH TO OPTIMIZE ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION NOT RESTRICTED BY ROOF SPACE CONS: TYPICALLY 10-20% MORE EXPENSIVE THAN AN EQUIVALENTLY SIZED ROOFTOP SYSTEM USES UP VALUABLE LAND SPACE
WILL SOLAR LOWER FIXED FEES ON MY BILL? YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL IS MADE UP OF FIXED FEES THAT YOU CANNOT CHANGE AS WELL AS VARIABLE FEES THAT ARE TIED TO YOUR ELECTRICITY USE AND WILL BE REDUCED BY SOLAR. ELECTRIC ENERGY AND TRANSMISSION CHARGES ARE VARIABLE. THE DISTRIBUTION CHARGE IS MADE UP OF A VARIABLE CHARGE AS WELL AS A FIXED DAILY CHARGE. THE REST OF THE FEES LIKE ADMINISTRATION, BALANCING POOL, RATE RIDERS, AND FRANCHISE FEES ARE ALL TYPICALLY SMALLER CHARGES AND ARE FIXED. SO A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF YOUR BILL IS ACTUALLY MADE OF VARIABLE CHARGES DESPITE HOW YOUR BILL MAKES IT APPEAR.
HOW DOES SOLAR CONNECT TO MY HOUSE? AS SHOWN ABOVE IN THE “HOW SOLAR WORKS” SECTION, SOLAR PANELS CONNECT DIRECTLY TO YOUR ELECTRICAL PANEL. WHEN SOLAR ELECTRICITY FLOWS TO YOUR PANEL, IT EITHER GETS DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT YOUR HOME OR IS SENT TO THE GRID.
CAN HAIL DAMAGE MY SOLAR PANELS? TIER 1 SOLAR PANELS CAN WITHSTAND HAIL AT OVER 200 KM/H. TYPICALLY, ANY DAMAGE CAUSED BY EXTREMELY LARGE HAIL WOULD FALL UNDER YOUR HOME INSURANCE FOR REPLACEMENT.
DO I NEED TO INSURE MY SOLAR PANELS? IN THE SAME WAY, YOU WOULD INSURE ANY OTHER UPGRADE THAT ADDS VALUE TO YOUR HOME, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU INSURE YOUR SOLAR SYSTEM. IF YOUR CURRENT INSURANCE PROVIDER IS UNWILLING TO INSURE YOUR SYSTEM, THERE ARE SEVERAL INSURANCE COMPANIES OUT THERE THAT ARE HAPPY TO COVER SOLAR PANELS.
WILL SNOW AFFECT SOLAR PRODUCTION? YES, BUT ONLY AROUND 5% A YEAR. SINCE SNOW COVERS SOLAR WHEN THERE IS LITTLE SUNLIGHT ANYWAY, THE EFFECT OF SNOW IS RELATIVELY SMALL. IN THE SPRING, THE PANELS HEAT UP AND MELT THE SNOW OFF RELATIVELY QUICKLY SO THERE IS NO NEED TO GET ON YOUR ROOF TO CLEAN THE SNOW OFF YOUR PANELS.
WHAT GRANTS ARE AVAILABLE? THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S CANADA GREENER HOMES PROGRAM PROVIDES A SOLAR REBATE OF $1,000/KW UP TO A MAXIMUM OF $5,000. THIS TYPICALLY COVERS 20% – 40% OF THE COST OF AN AVERAGE-SIZED SOLAR PV SYSTEM. CHECK OUT OUR GRANTS AND INCENTIVES PAGE FOR MORE INFO.
IS A SOLAR LEASE A GOOD IDEA? NO, PROBABLY NOT. HOWEVER, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IN SOLAR, IT DEPENDS ON YOU CIRCUMSTANCES – CREDIT SCORE, AVAILABLE CASH, SIZE OF SOLAR ARRAY, AND THE SPECIFIC FINANCING OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO YOU. IT ALSO DEPENDS ON WHETHER YOU WANT TO SAVE MORE MONEY NOW OR OVER THE LIFETIME OF THE SYSTEM. BUYING OUTRIGHT CAN EARN YOU A LOT MORE IF YOU’RE WILLING TO WAIT FOR IT, BUT BOTH OPTIONS WILL SAVE YOU MONEY.
SOME THINGS TO KNOW PRIOR TO REQUESTING FREE SOLAR QUOTES WITH G-BEAR SOLAR
THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL SOLAR INSTALLATION COST IS $15,000 – $30,000 (BEFORE ACCOUNTING FOR THE GREENER HOMES GRANT). THIS SERVES AS A VERY GENERAL AVERAGE. LARGER ROOFS AND HOMES THAT USE MORE ELECTRICITY CAN ACCOMMODATE LARGER SYSTEMS WITH HIGHER UPFRONT COSTS.
THE CANADIAN GREENER HOMES PROGRAM PROVIDES A $40,000 INTEREST-FREE LOAN TO CANADIAN HOMEOWNERS. APPROVAL CAN TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS AND MUST BE DONE BEFORE GETTING SOLAR PANEL QUOTES SO PLEASE APPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE HERE.
SOME SOLAR INSTALLERS WILL REQUIRE A LARGER DEPOSIT THAN THE 15% PROVIDED BY THE GREENER HOMES LOAN UPFRONT. ADDITIONALLY, ONCE YOUR INSTALLATION IS COMPLETE, THERE MAY BE DELAYS BETWEEN WHEN YOUR FINAL PAYMENT IS OWED TO YOUR INSTALLER AND WHEN THE FINAL LOAN AMOUNT IS PAID OUT. THIS MEANS THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO CARRY AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE COSTS WITH CASH OR SHORT-TERM BRIDGE FINANCING LIKE A LINE OF CREDIT.
IN SOME SITUATIONS YOUR GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION WILL GRANT YOU ACCESS TO A SOLAR CLUB. THIS ALLOWS YOU TO EARN A PREMIUM FOR EXCESS ELECTRICITY SOLD IN THE SUMMER.
YOUR SOLAR QUOTES WILL BE VALID FOR 15 DAYS.
GETTING SOLAR PANELS TAKES TIME. THERE IS NO WAY TO RUSH THE GRANT APPLICATION, ENERGY AUDITS, SOLAR QUOTES OR SOLAR INSTALLATION. G-BEAR WILL DO HIS BEST TO KEEP THINGS MOVING QUICKLY, BUT MOST DELAYS ARE OUT OF HIS CONTROL AND HE WILL ALWAYS PRIORITIZE QUALITY OVER SPEED. THE AVERAGE TURNAROUND FOR SOLAR QUOTES IS CURRENTLY 3 WEEKS (IF YOU HAVE ALREADY APPLIED FOR THE GREENER HOMES PROGRAM) AND SOLAR INSTALLERS ARE CURRENTLY BOOKING INTO SPRING/SUMMER 2024.
IF YOU ARE PURCHASING SOLAR FOR A HOME IN THE UNITED STATES, YOU MAY LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FEDERAL SOLAR TAX CREDIT RESOURCES HERE.
THIS IS HOW IT WORKS
1. FILL IN YOUR PROPERTY’S INFORMATION BELOW
2. G-BEAR WILL THEN SEND YOU A NO-OBLIGATION CUSTOM SOLAR PANEL LAYOUT AND PRICE ESTIMATE BASED ON CURRENT INDUSTRY TRENDS
3. IF THE ROUGH ESTIMATE ALIGNS WITH YOUR PLANS AND EXPECTATIONS, HE WILL BEGIN THE WORK TO GET YOU YOUR SOLAR QUOTES FROM HIS NETWORK OF VERIFIED INSTALLERS. THE QUOTING PROCESS CAN BE COMPLETED VIA SATELLITE IMAGERY SO INSTALLERS WILL NOT NEED TO COME TO YOUR HOME.
4. ONCE HE GETS THE QUOTES, HE WILL SEND YOU A DETAILED QUOTE SUMMARY COMPARING THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF EACH QUOTE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE OVER A PHONE OR VIDEO CALL.
5. HE CONNECTS YOU WITH YOUR CHOSEN SOLAR INSTALLER AND THE WORK BEGINS!
THIS SERVICE IS 100% FREE FOR HOMEOWNERS!
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