The quick answer, if you live in Ontario, is yes. An unsuitable house in another province is often suitable in Ontario due to the Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) program. This is because of the premium price you receive for the electricity you generate through this program. What is particularly unique about solar in Ontario is that you can consider it as part of your investment portfolio. Solar often brings the return-on-investment of a successful stock, but with low risk. Click here for more information about the FIT program.
If you judge the suitability of your house by the return-on-investment (ROI) of your solar electric system, a marginal house will bring a 7% average annual ROI for 20 years. A highly suitable house will bring a 14% ROI. Both can be considered good investments, but what creates that difference in ROI?
Here are the primary factors:
- Azimuth: the more south-facing a given pitch of the house is, the better.
- Roof tilt: to use the GTA as an example, a 35 degree pitch is optimal. This translates into an 8/12 pitch. Flat roofs can also be accommodated by using racks to tilt the panels up.
- Shading: any shading of the panels will reduce energy production – the most common shading is from nearby trees.
It’s very rare, but there are some houses that are truly unsuitable. A flat roof with not enough structural support is an example.
To find out the precise suitability of your house, you can get a site assessment from a qualified firm. Learn more about site assessments here.
Each of these factors will be explored in further depth in future posts, so stay tuned!
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