Calgary Fall Home Show: Power up with solar

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The day is coming when solar panels on the roof will be just as necessary as the fossil-fuel furnace in your basement. Or in future context, as necessary as it used to be.

Interest-free loans from the federal government and provincial incentive plans are helping homeowners finance solar projects while providers are busy educating the public on the technology and benefits of storing the sun’s energy.

“People are surprised to learn that solar panels are about the size of a sheet of plywood,” says Brent Doverspike, master electrician, certified fibreoptic technician and franchise owner of Stardust Solar in Calgary. The company is just one of several local companies who will be in attendance at the 2024 Calgary Fall Home Show, running Sept. 27 to 29 at the BMO Centre.

The Stardust team will provide a hands-on experience at the show so the public can understand equipment required, the manner in which it’s attached to the roof and how it’s wired inside the home.

“We ask people what they want to do with their solar. If they want a battery, it can be twice the price. So, our advice is to get it with micro inverters and in a few years, add the battery,” he says.

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A typical system on an average home can be $20,000 or if you take away add-ons like critter guards, it can be closer to $15,000. The federal Greener Homes Grant can provide an interest-free loan with as many as 10 years to pay it back. Municipal programs like the Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP), currently closed pending the next funding round, also helps with the financial cost. Providers can explain incentive programs, says Tyler Sieben, owner of Evalence Renewables, who will also be attendance at the Fall Home Show.

“We talk to people and answer questions they may not feel comfortable calling us to ask. People at shows are interested in learning about new products,” he says.

One new product available from most providers is Tesla’s Powerwall 3, the latest iteration of the maker’s lithium-ion home storage battery. Powerwall 3 features an integrated inverter allowing solar to be connected directly. It can be added to existing solar or installed on its own.

Sieben says the Powerwall is roughly the size of a mini-fridge and weighs about 400 pounds. In warmer climates, it’s installed outdoors, but in cold-weather Canada, it must be installed safely in the garage or mechanical room — far from living areas within the home as per the building code.

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“It does store energy to use during a power outage, but it’s more than a battery. It connects to wi-fi and checks on the weather for pending storms and using AI, it learns how you use your house. If you cook a turkey every Thursday, it remembers that and will hold power for it,” says Doverspike.

Rural customers would have more need for a smart battery like the Powerwall. For city dwellers, it’s a $20,000 luxury, Sieben says. When it comes to using solar in our province, batteries aren’t actually required to store solar when grid service is dependable.

“In Alberta, we have a great utility system. We don’t have a system with price tiers so that electricity costs more during high peak hours, and you can sell your electricity to the grid. People get a bi-directional meter, which measures what you send out which shows up on your bill as a credit. About 99 per cent of our installs don’t have batteries, which is a great way to save money on your system,” he says.

Find out more at the Calgary Fall Home Show, running Friday, Sept. 27 and Saturday, Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 29 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Save $2 per ticket by purchasing online at calgaryfallhomeshow.com.

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