Solar Panel Calculator for Ottawa, ON
Estimate the cost, savings and payback of solar panels in Ottawa, ON, using local NREL sunshine data, provincial prices and the local electricity rate.
Your result
Enter your numbers and press the button. Your result appears here.
Ottawa gets about 4.34 peak sun hours a day on a south-facing roof, so each kW of panels makes about 1,212 kWh a year. That ranks #99 of the 111 cities on this site. Output peaks in Jul and is lowest in Dec.
Sunshine in Ottawa by month
What an 8 kW system makes in Ottawa
| Month | Sun hours a day | Output | Bill savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.42 | 520 kWh | C$75 |
| Feb | 3.55 | 688 kWh | C$99 |
| Mar | 5.12 | 1,040 kWh | C$149 |
| Apr | 5.25 | 976 kWh | C$140 |
| May | 5.75 | 1,048 kWh | C$150 |
| Jun | 5.78 | 992 kWh | C$142 |
| Jul | 6.18 | 1,088 kWh | C$156 |
| Aug | 5.76 | 1,024 kWh | C$147 |
| Sep | 4.51 | 792 kWh | C$114 |
| Oct | 3.23 | 624 kWh | C$90 |
| Nov | 2.50 | 488 kWh | C$70 |
| Dec | 2.03 | 424 kWh | C$61 |
| Year | 4.34 | 9,696 kWh | C$1,391 |
Savings at 14.35¢ per kWh, with every kWh credited at that price.
Cost and payback by system size
At C$2.73 per watt, the midpoint of the Ontario range, before incentives.
| System | Cost | Year 1 savings | Payback | 25-yr gain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 kW | C$10,920 | C$696 | 16.3 yrs | C$5,468 |
| 6 kW | C$16,380 | C$1,044 | 16.3 yrs | C$8,201 |
| 8 kW | C$21,840 | C$1,391 | 16.3 yrs | C$10,935 |
| 10 kW | C$27,300 | C$1,739 | 16.3 yrs | C$13,669 |
| 12 kW | C$32,760 | C$2,087 | 16.3 yrs | C$16,403 |
How many panels you need in Ottawa
| Monthly use | System | 400 W panels |
|---|---|---|
| 500 kWh | 4.95 kW | 13 |
| 750 kWh | 7.43 kW | 19 |
| 1,000 kWh | 9.90 kW | 25 |
| 1,500 kWh | 14.85 kW | 38 |
| 2,000 kWh | 19.80 kW | 50 |
Covering 100% of a year's use at 1,212 kWh per kW.
Common questions
Is solar worth it in Ottawa?
At local averages an 8 kW system costs about C$21,840 before incentives, saves about C$1,391 in its first year and pays back in about 16.3 years.
How many peak sun hours does Ottawa get?
About 4.34 a day over the year on a south-facing roof at 20°, from 2.0 in Dec to 6.2 in Jul, according to NREL's PVWatts model.
How much does a 1 kW solar system produce in Ottawa?
About 1,212 kWh a year, or 101 kWh a month on average.
Are there solar incentives in Canada?
Programs change often and differ by province and utility. Check with your provincial energy department and your utility before you buy.
Sources
- NREL PVWatts V8 API (south-facing, 20° tilt, 14% losses, typical-year weather): https://developer.nlr.gov/docs/solar/pvwatts/v8/
- Hydro-Québec, Comparison of Electricity Prices in Major North American Cities, 2025 (1,000 kWh a month, before tax): https://www.hydroquebec.com/data/documents-donnees/pdf/comparaison-prix-2025-en.pdf
- Green Building Canada, Solar panel costs in Canada by province (2026): https://greenbuildingcanada.ca/solar-panels-cost-canada/