Solar panels in Waterloo, Ontario
Identical numbers to Kitchener and Cambridge — and a utility only one of them shares.
Waterloo is modelled at 1,155 kWh per kW a year with a payback of 9 to 12 years on a 9 kW system saving about $2,050 — figures it shares exactly with Kitchener and Cambridge. What differs across the tri–cities is not the sunshine but the utility: Waterloo and Kitchener are served by Enova Power, Cambridge by GrandBridge Energy.
4.6 · 780+ reviews
Get Your Free Solar Quote
Custom solar solutions for Waterloo, ON
Prefer to discuss your project first?Contact usor view ourdetailed quote form
Real Xolar installs in Waterloo
Completed systems across the Waterloo service area — first-hand specs, not industry averages.
Ottawa — 14.2 kW rooftop
South-facing asphalt shingle · completed January 2024 · 11 progress photos on file
"With nearly all my household energy now coming from the sun, my monthly bills have plummeted — and it's not just about the savings, it's the positive environmental impact."
— Real Ottawa homeowner ★★★★★Waterloo energy & net metering
What Enova Power 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). Waterloo electricity is distributed by Enova Power. 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.
Enova Power Time-of-Use rates in Waterloo
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.
Enova Power 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 Waterloo buys.
How your system works behind the meter
Most of a Waterloo 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 Enova Power for net-metering credit.
Rebates & incentives in Waterloo
Every active local, provincial, federal and Xolar program a Waterloo 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 Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo produces 1,155 kWh per kW annually – part of the Tri-Cities with Kitchener and Cambridge. Enova Power distributes electricity under Ontario’s Time-of-Use pricing.
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.
The Tri-Cities Share a Number. They Do Not Share a Utility.
Waterloo, Kitchener and Cambridge carry identical figures on this site: 1,155 kWh per kW a year, a 9 kW typical system, about $2,050 in annual saving and a payback of 9 to 12 years. That is not laziness in the data — three adjacent cities on the same stretch of southwestern Ontario genuinely do have the same solar resource, and the modelling reflects it.
Across Ontario that figure sits mid-table: fourteenth or so of the 35 cities on this site, level with Milton and Markham, behind the southwestern group led by Chatham-Kent at 1,210 and ahead of Barrie at 1,130 and the northern cities at 1,050 or below.
Where the tri-cities do differ is in who distributes their electricity. Waterloo and Kitchener are served by Enova Power. Cambridge is served by GrandBridge Energy. Two neighbouring cities, two different local distribution companies, and a municipal boundary that decides which set of forms your installer files.
It is worth being clear that this changes very little about what a system is worth. Time-of-Use pricing is set provincially — 9.8 cents off-peak, 15.7 mid-peak, 20.3 on-peak. The 12 kW threshold for the simplified micro-embedded generation route is an Ontario Energy Board rule. The Home Renovation Savings Program, worth up to $10,000 for solar panels and battery storage together, is provincial, as is the 23.5% Ontario Electricity Rebate.
What the utility affects is administrative: who reviews your connection, who installs the meter, and how quickly. Real for your timeline, irrelevant to your return.
A 9 kW System Keeps You Inside Ontario's Simpler Connection Route
This page assumes a 9 kW system as typical for Waterloo, which matters for a reason that has nothing to do with production.
Ontario draws a line at 12 kW. At or under it, a residential project is micro-embedded generation and follows the shorter connection process. Above it, the standard embedded generation process applies, with more engineering review and a longer timeline. The Ontario Energy Board raised that ceiling from 10 kW on 1 May 2026, and it applies through Enova Power here exactly as it does through every distributor in the province — a provincial rule, not a local policy.
A 9 kW design sits comfortably inside that, with room to grow before the threshold becomes a question. For most Waterloo households that is the right place to be: lighter paperwork, shorter wait.
The change on 1 May 2026 is worth understanding if you are reading older advice. Under the previous 10 kW ceiling, an 11 kW design either went through the longer process or was deliberately derated — limited in output — so it would fit underneath. The OEB said explicitly that raising the ceiling removes the need to derate. Designs that were awkward in Waterloo last year are ordinary this year.
Where it becomes a live decision is a larger home with electric heat, a heat pump or two cars on chargers, where the consumption genuinely justifies 13 or 14 kW. That is allowed and often correct. The thing to avoid is drifting across the line unintentionally and discovering the timeline has moved. Ask your installer early whether the design lands over or under.
Explore More Solar Resources
Showing Ontario — 264 installs · 534 nationwide
Completed Xolar installations — each dot represents a city where we've installed solar.
Areas We Serve in Waterloo
Professional solar panel installation available in these Waterloo neighborhoods and communities:
What Waterloo homeowners say
Swipe for more reviews →
"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."
"The XOLAR Sales teach and tech support group were easy to deal with and provided all the information needed to make our decision."
"I had a call today with Spencer, he was extremely helpful."
"We were, overall, delighted with the solar panel solution from Xolar. The process, from first consultation, to operation and receiving the Greener Homes Loan took almost exactly 6 months, which we were very happy with given we started to process in December.We were quite concerned about the look of the panels as our South facing roof faces the street and we live in a neighbourhood with a lot of nice homes. But we were really delighted with how they look - they just blend in nicely with the roof and many of friends have said they hardly noticed them. They also present a modern appearance.As you can see, the panels are only over the garage but that is estimated to be sufficient to cover around 90% of our hydro use, and we use only electricity, with geothermal heating and cooling, and have an electric car. So far, the hydro generation matches the estimates provided by Xolar.The initial presentation of the solution, by Chris Isidori, was very thorough, and he was available to answer all of my questions. The Xolar website is also excellent and there are many customer solutions listed there to read about, and speak to their experience. The installation team were a joy to work with - they arrived on time, were extremely pleasant, completed the entire install in less than 2 days, and cleaned up very well at the end.Overall, the solution exceeded our expectations and we are very much enjoying making a contribution to the energy grid while saving money in the long term. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Xolar if you are considering installing a solar array on your home."
"I give it a 5 star"
"Abe was very attentive to my needs, he thoroughly explained the proposal he sent, and answered all my questions in detail. We chatted about a few other subjects and I discovered that he is a pleasant and knowledgable person to deal with."
Waterloo solar questions
Can I get solar in Waterloo?
Yes. 1,155 kWh/kW production – same as Kitchener and Cambridge.
HRSP ($10K for solar + battery) or net metering available.
Payback: 9-12 years.
What solar rebates are available in Waterloo?
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 Waterloo?
Enova Power distributes electricity in Waterloo.
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 Waterloo?
Enova Power 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.
Why do Waterloo, Kitchener and Cambridge show the same numbers?
Because they genuinely have the same solar resource.
All three are modelled at 1,155 kWh per kW a year with a 9 kW typical system, about $2,050 in annual saving and a 9 to 12 year payback.
Three adjacent cities on the same stretch of southwestern Ontario should look alike, and they do.
What differs is the utility: Waterloo and Kitchener are served by Enova Power, Cambridge by GrandBridge Energy.
That affects whose forms your installer files and how quickly the meter arrives, not what the system is worth — Time-of-Use rates, the 12 kW connection threshold and the $10,000 provincial rebate are identical across all three.
How does Waterloo compare with the rest of Ontario for solar?
Mid-table, and comfortably viable.
At 1,155 kWh per kW a year Waterloo sits around fourteenth of the 35 Ontario cities on this site — level with Kitchener, Cambridge, Milton and Markham, behind the southwestern group where Chatham-Kent leads at 1,210, and ahead of Barrie at 1,130 and the northern cities at 1,050 or below.
The whole province spans about 17 per cent from top to bottom, so mid-table here is a long way from marginal.
Your roof orientation and shading will move your production more than the gap between Waterloo and the provincial leaders.
Get your free Waterloo solar quote
A personalized proposal in 24 hours — system size, real pricing, and every rebate you qualify for. No pressure, no obligation.
Takes about a minute — no pressure, no obligation.
Solar system packages
All include install, permits & 25-yr warrantyMost popular choice for average Canadian homes
Solar installation across Ontario
We serve homeowners province-wide. View all Ontario service areas →