Solar panels in Kingston, Ontario
The city loan that covered solar outright — and stopped taking applications.
Kingston is modelled at 1,110 kWh per kW a year with a payback of 10 to 12 years on a 9 kW system saving about $2,050. The local detail that matters most is a programme you probably cannot use: Better Homes Kingston lent up to $50,000 against your property tax bill and named solar photovoltaic systems as eligible — and it is no longer accepting applications. Budget a Kingston system without it.
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Real Xolar installs in Kingston
Completed systems across the Kingston service area — first-hand specs, not industry averages.
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Kingston — 14.9 kW rooftop
South-facing asphalt shingle · completed March 2023 · 2 progress photos on file
What 22 real Kingston installs tell us
Aggregated from completed Xolar systems in Kingston — first-hand data, not industry averages.
Kingston energy & net metering
What Utilities Kingston charges here, and how surplus solar is credited in Ontario.
Ontario’s Time–of–Use electricity rates range from 9.8¢/kWh (off–peak) to 20.3¢/kWh (on–peak), with mid–peak at 15.7¢/kWh (OEB RPP, Nov 2025–Oct 2026). Kingston electricity is distributed by Utilities Kingston. Solar panels generate most during daytime on–peak hours, earning you credits at the highest rate. The Ontario Electricity Rebate provides a 23.5% discount on your bill.
Utilities Kingston Time-of-Use rates in Kingston
What a kilowatt-hour costs at each tier, and the hours each one applies — OEB Regulated Price Plan, Nov 2025 – Oct 2026. Rates are set province-wide by the Ontario Energy Board, so they are the same whichever utility bills you; only delivery charges differ.
Utilities Kingston peak hours, by season
The tiers hold all year; the hours switch twice a year. Weekends and statutory holidays bill at the off-peak rate all day, in both seasons.
On-peak power costs 2.1× what the same kilowatt-hour costs off-peak. At the Ontario Energy Board's benchmark of 700 kWh a month, that is the difference between $68.60 and $142.10 on the electricity line alone — delivery and regulatory charges are billed separately, and the Ontario Electricity Rebate then takes 23.5% off the total.
This is why solar pays better here than a flat rate would suggest. A rooftop array produces most between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. — precisely the summer on-peak window — so the power it offsets is the most expensive power Kingston buys.
How your system works behind the meter
Most of a Kingston 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 9.8¢/kWh. Only the surplus flows past the meter to Utilities Kingston for net-metering credit.
Rebates & incentives in Kingston
Every active local, provincial, federal and Xolar program a Kingston homeowner can stack.
- Up to $7,500Home Renovation Savings Program (HRSP) – Heat Pump
- Up to $5,000Home Renovation Savings Program (HRSP) – Solar
- Up to $5,000Home Renovation Savings Program (HRSP) – Battery
- Up to 30% of eligible costsClean Technology Investment Tax Credit (Commercial ITC)
Solar Panels in Kingston, Ontario
Kingston in eastern Ontario produces 1,110 kWh per kW annually. Utilities Kingston distributes electricity under Ontario’s Time-of-Use pricing. Eastern Ontario gets reliable sunshine for solid solar performance.
Ontario’s net metering program credits excess solar at the full retail rate. HRSP ($10K for solar + battery) or net metering available – but not both.
Ontario HRSP - Up to $10,000 for Solar + Battery
Ontario’s Home Renovation Savings Program (HRSP), launched January 2025, offers:
- Up to $5,000 for solar panels ($1,000/kW)
- Battery storage at $300/kWh up to $5,000
- HRSP maximums are per category rather than one shared pot: up to $10,000 for solar and storage, up to $12,000 for heat pumps, up to $7,700 for insulation
Important – HRSP vs. Net Metering: Solar installed under HRSP must be sized for on-site load displacement only – net metering is not permitted under HRSP. If you prefer net metering (earning 1:1 credits for excess solar), you would not apply through HRSP. Your Xolar advisor can help determine which option provides the best return.
Note: The Canada Greener Homes Grant and Loan programs are now closed.
Better Homes Kingston Covered Solar Panels. It Has Closed.
Kingston ran one of the better municipal retrofit loans in Ontario, and a homeowner planning a system today needs to know it is shut.
Better Homes Kingston lent up to $50,000, or 20 per cent of the home’s value, whichever was less. Interest was tiered by term: 3.25% over five years, 4.00% over ten, 4.50% over fifteen and 4.75% over twenty. Repayment was added to and formed part of the property tax bill, so the obligation attached to the property rather than to the borrower. Critically for anyone reading this page, solar photovoltaic systems were explicitly listed as eligible improvements, under renewable energy, energy storage and EV chargers — many municipal programmes stop at insulation and heat pumps, and this one did not.
The City’s own page now states that the programme is no longer accepting applications. It invites residents to sign up for updates about future offerings, which is a reason to register an interest rather than a reason to delay a project.
So budget a Kingston system without it. What remains is Ontario’s Home Renovation Savings Program, worth up to $10,000 for solar panels and battery storage together, net metering credits through Utilities Kingston at the full retail rate, and whatever financing you arrange privately.
That last piece deserves scrutiny it would not have needed two years ago. Better Homes Kingston’s worst rate was 4.75% over twenty years. Dealer financing is frequently well above that, and over a long term the difference is larger than the gap between competing equipment. If a quote bundles financing, ask for the cash price and the financed price separately.
What a Kingston Homeowner Can Actually Claim Today
With the municipal loan closed, the money available for a Kingston solar system comes from two places, and it is worth being precise about both.
The first is Ontario’s Home Renovation Savings Program. It pays up to $10,000 for solar panels and battery storage together. Its maximums are per category rather than one shared pot — heat pumps carry their own ceiling of up to $12,000 and insulation up to $7,700 — so a household doing several upgrades is drawing on separate limits rather than splitting one.
The second is the electricity you stop buying. Kingston is billed on Ontario’s regulated Time-of-Use rates: 9.8 cents off-peak, 15.7 mid-peak and 20.3 on-peak. Solar generates around the middle of the day, so the power it displaces is weighted toward the expensive end. Utilities Kingston credits your exports at the full retail rate under net metering, and credits carry forward for twelve months.
One number cuts the other way and is routinely left out of savings estimates. The Ontario Electricity Rebate takes 23.5% off the subtotal of an eligible residential bill and has done since 1 November 2025. Because it discounts the electricity you are competing against, it makes each generated kilowatt-hour worth less than the raw Time-of-Use rate implies — lengthening payback rather than shortening it.
At 1,110 kWh per kW a year, the page’s 10 to 12 year payback already accounts for that. If a quote you receive is markedly more optimistic, the rebate is the first thing to ask about.
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22 installs in Kingston · 264 across Ontario · 534 nationwide
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Areas We Serve in Kingston
Professional solar panel installation available in these Kingston neighborhoods and communities:
What Kingston homeowners say
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"Part one- the quote: Dylan was friendly, communicates clearly, promptly, and through convenient methods. His quote and explanations are precise and transparent. A good experiencePart two- installation in update post"
"Xolar rep is very knowledgeable about solar product and the government rebates that can help make the project happen. Spencer was able to answer all my questions and made the decision to proceed with the application an easy one."
"I had a call today with Spencer, he was extremely helpful."
"We are happy with our roof top solar panels from Xolar. Lauren was a great help as our project manager. Vivek and John also helped us with our many questions. The project was finished on time. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Xolar."
"They provided a very thorough proposal and walked us through it in detail."
"Update: Now having concluded the full process with Xolar, I can say that any initial hesitations or fears have been fully relieved. The process was smooth and seamless. Every company representative I dealt with was excellent. Shout out to Vlad and his install team - hardest working crew I’ve ever had do work at my home (really). If you’re looking for a good company to work with, I highly recommend Xolar!!!!I'm completing this after my initial (first and only) discussion with the company representative. I was impressed with his communication style and product/program knowledge. If the entire solar installation process is as seamless as my initial discussion I will be very impressed."
Kingston solar questions
Can I get solar in Kingston?
Yes. 1,110 kWh/kW production.
Utilities Kingston serves the area.
HRSP ($10K for solar + battery) or net metering available.
Payback: 10-12 years.
What solar rebates are available in Kingston?
Ontario’s HRSP provides up to $5,000 for solar + battery storage at $300/kWh up to $5,000 (heat pumps carry a separate $12,000 maximum).
Important: HRSP solar cannot use net metering – customers must choose one or the other.
The federal Greener Homes programs are now closed.
Who provides electricity in Kingston?
Utilities Kingston distributes electricity.
Ontario’s Time-of-Use rates: 9.8¢ off-peak, 15.7¢ mid-peak, 20.3¢ on-peak.
The Ontario Electricity Rebate provides a 23.5% discount.
How does net metering work in Kingston?
Utilities Kingston offers 1:1 net metering – excess solar earns credits at the full retail rate.
Credits roll over for 12 months.
As of May 1, 2026, the net metering system size threshold was raised to 12 kW for residential customers.
Note: Solar under HRSP cannot use net metering.
Can I still apply to Better Homes Kingston?
No.
The City states that the Better Homes Kingston Program is no longer accepting applications.
While it ran it was unusually good for solar: up to $50,000 or 20 per cent of the home’s value, repaid through the property tax bill at 3.25% over five years rising to 4.75% over twenty, with solar photovoltaic systems explicitly listed as eligible.
The City invites residents to sign up for updates about future programmes, which is worth doing — but plan and budget your project without it.
What remains is Ontario’s Home Renovation Savings Program, up to $10,000 for solar and battery storage together, plus net metering credits through Utilities Kingston.
How long does solar take to pay for itself in Kingston?
The figure quoted on this page is 10 to 12 years, on production of 1,110 kWh per kW a year and a typical 9 kW system saving about $2,050.
That is mid-table for Ontario — behind the southwestern group at 7 to 10 years, ahead of northern cities like Sault Ste.
Marie at 10 to 14.
Two things move you within the band: how much of your consumption falls in the 20.3-cent on-peak window rather than the 9.8-cent off-peak one, and the rate you borrow at.
With Better Homes Kingston closed there is no subsidised municipal rate here, so financing is negotiated — and over ten years that choice moves the result more than any equipment decision.
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