Solar Panel Calculator for Toronto, ON
Estimate the cost, savings and payback of solar panels in Toronto, 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.
Toronto gets about 4.40 peak sun hours a day on a south-facing roof, so each kW of panels makes about 1,276 kWh a year. That ranks #95 of the 111 cities on this site. Output peaks in Jun and is lowest in Dec.
Sunshine in Toronto by month
What an 8 kW system makes in Toronto
| Month | Sun hours a day | Output | Bill savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.37 | 512 kWh | C$80 |
| Feb | 3.46 | 664 kWh | C$103 |
| Mar | 4.50 | 936 kWh | C$146 |
| Apr | 5.24 | 1,016 kWh | C$158 |
| May | 6.03 | 1,168 kWh | C$182 |
| Jun | 6.43 | 1,176 kWh | C$183 |
| Jul | 6.36 | 1,184 kWh | C$184 |
| Aug | 5.87 | 1,088 kWh | C$169 |
| Sep | 5.16 | 960 kWh | C$149 |
| Oct | 3.26 | 664 kWh | C$103 |
| Nov | 2.38 | 472 kWh | C$73 |
| Dec | 1.80 | 384 kWh | C$60 |
| Year | 4.40 | 10,208 kWh | C$1,589 |
Savings at 15.57¢ 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$795 | 14.2 yrs | C$7,800 |
| 6 kW | C$16,380 | C$1,192 | 14.2 yrs | C$11,700 |
| 8 kW | C$21,840 | C$1,589 | 14.2 yrs | C$15,599 |
| 10 kW | C$27,300 | C$1,987 | 14.2 yrs | C$19,499 |
| 12 kW | C$32,760 | C$2,384 | 14.2 yrs | C$23,399 |
How many panels you need in Toronto
| Monthly use | System | 400 W panels |
|---|---|---|
| 500 kWh | 4.70 kW | 12 |
| 750 kWh | 7.05 kW | 18 |
| 1,000 kWh | 9.40 kW | 24 |
| 1,500 kWh | 14.11 kW | 36 |
| 2,000 kWh | 18.81 kW | 48 |
Covering 100% of a year's use at 1,276 kWh per kW.
Common questions
Is solar worth it in Toronto?
At local averages an 8 kW system costs about C$21,840 before incentives, saves about C$1,589 in its first year and pays back in about 14.2 years.
How many peak sun hours does Toronto get?
About 4.40 a day over the year on a south-facing roof at 20°, from 1.8 in Dec to 6.4 in Jun, according to NREL's PVWatts model.
How much does a 1 kW solar system produce in Toronto?
About 1,276 kWh a year, or 106 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/