How the Home Solar Accelerator Works

You don't need to be ready to install solar to use the Home Solar Accelerator. The first step is understanding your options.

The Resource Hub covers solar costs, net meteringA solar system configuration that allows excess solar electricity to be sent to the grid in exchange for hydro bill credits. These credits can then be used to offset future electricity imports. In Ontario, unused credits expire after 12 months., batteries, financing, and incentives in plain language, with Ontario numbers.

If you want advice on your own home, start your Solar Journey Report. A Solar Advisor will contact you, answer your questions, and help you understand your options. Your advisor will ask for a few photos of your home and your recent hydro bills. They will then prepare the report using information about your home and electricity use. And the report usually takes about a week once they have them. It covers:

• Your home's solar potentialA metric used to describe the efficiency of a solar system. It represents how many kilowatt-hours a system produces annually for each kilowatt of installed capacity.
• System sizing
• Estimated solar production
• Expected project costs
• Potential hydro bill savings
• Available incentives and financing options
• Whether battery storageA system that stores solar electricity for later use, typically during power outages. Batteries are optional and are not required for net-metered solar systems. may make sense for your home

There is never any sales pressure and no obligation to proceed.

If you decide you'd like to explore solar further, we request quotes on your behalf from our network of vetted solar installers. This gives you multiple options to compare without researching and contacting several companies yourself. Installers get the details they need to quote. Your email and phone go only to the installer you choose when we make the introduction.

Installers participating in the Home Solar Accelerator are vetted for experience, qualifications, proposal quality, and customer service standards. They must also follow the program's standards for transparent pricing and ethical sales practices.

You are never required to select an installer or move forward with a project.

Getting multiple solar quotes is important, but comparing them isn't always straightforward. Installers propose different system sizes, equipment, layouts, and prices, so the price alone doesn't tell you which quote is the better deal.

Once we receive your quotes, your Solar Advisor will prepare a Quote Comparison Report that lays out the same details for every proposal, side by side:

• Total project cost and cost per watt ($/W)This is the unit cost of a solar panel installation. It is calculated by dividing the total system cost by the system size in watts and allows for fair comparison between quotes.
• System size and estimated electricity production
• Panel, inverterA device that converts DC electricity from solar panels into AC electricity for use in your home or export to the grid. Every grid-connected solar system requires an inverter., and battery equipment
• Battery options, if applicable
• Warranties
• Financing options
• Installer experience and payment schedules
• Payback periodThe length of time it takes for hydro bill savings to equal the upfront cost of a solar system.
• Other important differences between the proposals

Your Solar Advisor will then review the quotes with you over a phone or video call. They will answer your questions and provide unbiased advice about the differences between your quotes. For what to look for in a quote, see Comparing Solar Quotes.

The final decision is always yours. Our role is to make sure you have the information you need to decide with confidence.

If you decide to move forward with one of the installers, we make the introduction. From there, you'll work directly with the installer to finalize your system design, contract, permitting, and installation. We'll also check in after the introduction to make sure things are on track.

The Home Solar Accelerator is available to homeowners across the GTHA (Durham, Halton, Hamilton, Toronto, Peel, and York), including urban, suburban, and rural communities. The program is currently available for detached homes, semi-detached homes, and townhouses. There is no cost to participate.

If you're still working out whether solar fits your home, start with Is Solar Right for Me? If you're ready for advice on your own home and your bills, start your Solar Journey Report.

Start your Solar Journey Report →

If you have questions about how the program works, email hello@solaraccelerator.ca.