Solar panels in Kelowna, British Columbia
Kelowna Solar: Okanagan Sun and FortisBC Net Metering
Kelowna sits in FortisBC territory, not BC Hydro, and that shapes the whole solar picture. FortisBC customers do not qualify for the BC Hydro solar rebate, so the main standing incentive is BC’s 7% PST exemption on your system. The upside is real: FortisBC still offers 1:1 retail–rate net metering, and the interior Okanagan is one of British Columbia’s sunniest regions at about 1,245 kWh per kW a year, roughly 20 to 25 percent more than coastal Vancouver. With FortisBC’s lower Tier 1 rate near 10.8 cents, Kelowna solar pays back fastest when sized for self–consumption.
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Real Xolar installs near Kelowna
We haven't published a Kelowna install yet. These are completed systems in nearby British Columbia communities, under the same provincial rebate and net-metering rules.
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Victoria — 14 kW rooftop
South-facing asphalt shingle · completed January 2026 · 29 progress photos on file
Kelowna energy & net metering
What FortisBC charges here, and how surplus solar is credited in British Columbia.
FortisBC provides electricity in the Kelowna area. FortisBC customers are NOT eligible for BC Hydro solar/battery rebates. FortisBC has its own net metering program with a 50kW cap. PST exemption on solar equipment still applies regardless of utility.
How your system works behind the meter
Most of a Kelowna system's value comes from power used behind the meter — electricity your panels make and your home uses on the spot, offsetting energy you'd otherwise buy at 10.8¢/kWh. Only the surplus flows past the meter to FortisBC for net-metering credit.
Rebates & incentives in Kelowna
Every active local, provincial, federal and Xolar program a Kelowna homeowner can stack.
- 7% PST exemptionPST Exemption
- Up to 30% of eligible costsClean Technology Investment Tax Credit (Commercial ITC)
Solar Panels in Kelowna, BC
Kelowna gets 20-30% more sun than the coast. The Okanagan’s dry climate produces 1,245 kWh/kW – comparable to many Alberta cities.
Important: FortisBC provides electricity in the Kelowna area. FortisBC customers are NOT eligible for BC Hydro solar/battery rebates ($5,000 + $5,000). However, FortisBC has its own net metering program (up to 50kW), and the PST exemption (7%) on solar equipment (~$2,000 savings) applies regardless of utility.
Note: The federal Canada Greener Homes Grant and Loan programs are now closed.
FortisBC Net Metering in Kelowna
FortisBC offers genuine net metering for systems up to 50 kW. Through the year, excess solar is banked as credits at the full retail rate (1:1) and applied to later bills. Any surplus remaining at your annual anniversary is settled at FortisBC’s lower avoided-cost rate, so the goal is to size your system to net close to zero over the year.
This is a real advantage right now: BC Hydro is moving new customers to a reduced export rate in 2026, but that change applies to BC Hydro, not FortisBC. Kelowna’s FortisBC net metering is unaffected. (As of June 2026.)
Kelowna Solar Production and Savings
The interior Okanagan is one of BC’s sunniest regions. Kelowna produces about 1,245 kWh per kW a year, roughly 20 to 25 percent more than coastal Vancouver. More sun means more output from the same system.
FortisBC’s residential rate is relatively low (about 10.8¢/kWh Tier 1), so the strongest returns come from using your own solar directly rather than exporting. Sized for self-consumption, payback in Kelowna runs about 8 to 12 years, followed by decades of low-cost power.
Designing for Okanagan Heat
Kelowna’s semi-arid summers are what give it 1,245 kWh/kW, but heat itself is not a friend of photovoltaics. Panels lose a little output as their temperature climbs, so a 35-degree Okanagan afternoon yields slightly less per panel than the same irradiance at 20 degrees.
That is already priced into the annual figure – 1,245 kWh/kW is measured output, not a summer-only projection – and Kelowna still ranks second of the 19 British Columbia cities we serve, behind only Penticton. What it does change is mounting. Arrays here should be set with proper rear ventilation rather than laid tight to the deck, because airflow under the modules is what keeps cell temperature down through July and August. It is a detail that costs nothing at design time and is expensive to retrofit.
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Areas We Serve in Kelowna
Professional solar panel installation available in these Kelowna neighborhoods and communities:
What Kelowna homeowners say
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Kelowna solar questions
Is Kelowna good for solar?
Kelowna is one of the best cities in BC for solar.
The Okanagan produces 1,245 kWh/kW – comparable to Alberta.
Payback in the interior is 8-12 years.
Does Kelowna qualify for BC Hydro rebates?
No.
Kelowna is served by FortisBC, not BC Hydro.
FortisBC customers are not eligible for BC Hydro’s solar/battery rebates.
However, the PST exemption on solar equipment (~$2,000 savings) applies regardless of utility.
What is FortisBC's net metering program?
FortisBC allows net metering for systems up to 50kW.
Excess generation credits are applied to your bill.
Contact FortisBC for current program terms and rates.
Does BC Hydro's 2026 net metering change affect Kelowna?
No.
Kelowna is served by FortisBC, which runs its own net metering programme under its own tariff.
BC Hydro’s closure of 1:1 net metering to new customers on 1 July 2026, and the roughly 10 cents per kWh export rate that replaced it, apply to BC Hydro customers.
FortisBC continues to bank your surplus as kilowatt-hours against future bills, with anything left over settled annually at its avoided-cost rate.
How much sun does Kelowna actually get compared with the coast?
About 1,245 kWh per kW installed each year – the third highest of the 21 British Columbia cities we serve, behind Penticton at 1,270 and Kamloops at 1,250.
That is roughly 23% more than Vancouver’s 1,010 and comparable to many Alberta cities.
The Okanagan sits in a semi-arid rain shadow, so summers are hot, dry and clear rather than overcast.
In practice a Kelowna household needs a noticeably smaller array than a coastal one to cover the same consumption.
What size system do Kelowna homes usually need?
Around 8 kW is typical.
Because Kelowna produces about 1,245 kWh per kW, an 8 kW array generates roughly 10,000 kWh a year – enough to cover most households without pushing you far past FortisBC’s Tier 2 threshold.
The usual design goal here is to stay under 1,600 kWh in a two-month billing period, since that is where the rate steps from 10.8 to 14.32 cents.
Typical savings work out around $2,100 a year with payback between 8 and 12 years.
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