ROI guide · 2026

Is solar worth it in BC in 2026?

Short answer: yes for many BC homes and businesses — but the reason changed in 2026. It’s no longer about selling power back to the grid. It’s about owning your power, storing it, and staying online when the coast gets hit.

Reviewed July 2026

What changed: Rate Schedule 2289

On July 1, 2026, BC Hydro closed legacy net metering to new customers. New systems now fall under Rate Schedule 2289, which pays about 10¢/kWh for power you export — less than you pay to buy it back. The old strategy of oversizing your array to “bank” credits with the grid no longer pays off.

That sounds like bad news. It isn’t — it just changes the winning design. Full RS 2289 explainer →

The new math: self‑consumption + storage

If exporting only earns ~10¢ but every kWh you use yourself avoids the higher retail rate, the return comes from using your own solar, not selling it. A battery lets you store midday production and spend it in the evening — capturing the full retail value instead of the export rate. That’s why a well‑designed BC system in 2026 is battery‑first.

What tips the return in your favour

A higher bill. The more you spend on power now, the more there is to offset.
Up to $10,000 in BC Hydro rebates plus the 0% PST exemption — cutting your net cost before you generate a single kWh.
Rising rates. Every future BC Hydro increase makes your fixed‑cost solar look better.
Outage value. Backup power has real worth on the coast — hard to price, easy to appreciate at 2 a.m. in a windstorm.
Property value. An owned system is an asset that transfers with the home.

Who it’s not ideal for (yet)

We’d rather tell you the truth: heavily shaded roofs, very small power bills, or a plan to move within a year or two can weaken the case. A 3D design tells you honestly — if the numbers don’t work for your roof, we’ll say so.

“But it rains here.” BC’s grid is clean hydro, and yes, we get grey winters — which is precisely why systems here are sized differently and paired with storage. More on that in Does solar work in rainy Vancouver?

See your own payback.

Free 3D design, real incentive stack, honest numbers — including whether it’s worth it for your roof.

Book my free 3D design →Estimate my rebates

General information, not financial advice or a guarantee of savings. Returns depend on your usage, roof, system size, equipment, and future rates. Incentives current as of July 2026.