{
  "id": "v20-ca-solar-savings",
  "version": "20.16.0",
  "name": "Solar Savings Calculator — Canada",
  "shortName": "Solar Savings",
  "description": "Estimate the financial effect of a specified rooftop solar scenario, with exported electricity valued separately from electricity used in the home. CAD planning view; stated limitations apply.",
  "category": "Home & Construction",
  "categorySlug": "home-construction",
  "keywords": [
    "solar-savings",
    "ca",
    "energy-conservation",
    "pvwatts",
    "energy-saver"
  ],
  "status": "live",
  "workStatus": "pending",
  "reviewStatus": "pending",
  "migrationStatus": "new",
  "engine": "native",
  "creator": null,
  "reviewer": null,
  "quality": {
    "availability": "live",
    "technicalReviewRecord": "/reviews/v20-ca-solar-savings.json",
    "qualifiedReview": "pending",
    "qualifiedReviewer": null,
    "qualifiedReviewDate": null,
    "formulaVersion": "20.16.0",
    "referenceCoverage": "references-listed",
    "releaseTestScope": "Catalog and regression checks are not a professional formula audit; consult release evidence.",
    "historicalMetadataDate": "",
    "historicalMetadataNotice": "The imported date is not evidence of a completed human review."
  },
  "notice": "Illustrative defaults are not local quotes or verified legal rules. Dated reference components and user-entered assumptions are explicitly distinguished. Professional review is pending.",
  "urls": {
    "page": "/ca/solar-savings/",
    "definition": "/ca/solar-savings/definition.json",
    "schema": "/ca/solar-savings/schema.json",
    "llms": "/ca/solar-savings/llms.txt",
    "legacyDefinition": "/ca/solar-savings/definition.json"
  },
  "queryExample": "https://askcalculators.com/ca/solar-savings/?annualUse=10000&offset=80&specificYield=1200&selfConsumption=60&importRate=0.2&exportRate=0.05&installedCostPerKw=2500&confirmedIncentive=0&maintenance=100&years=25&discountRate=4&degradation=0.5&energyEscalation=2&replacementYear=0&replacementCost=0",
  "queryParameters": {
    "annualUse": {
      "label": "Annual household electricity use, kWh",
      "type": "number",
      "required": true,
      "default": 10000
    },
    "offset": {
      "label": "Target annual generation / use",
      "type": "percent",
      "required": true,
      "default": 80
    },
    "specificYield": {
      "label": "Site-specific annual yield, kWh per kW",
      "type": "number",
      "required": true,
      "default": 1200
    },
    "selfConsumption": {
      "label": "Generation used directly on site",
      "type": "percent",
      "required": true,
      "default": 60
    },
    "importRate": {
      "label": "Avoided electricity price per kWh",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "default": 0.2
    },
    "exportRate": {
      "label": "Confirmed export payment per kWh",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "default": 0.05
    },
    "installedCostPerKw": {
      "label": "Installed cost per kW",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "default": 2500
    },
    "confirmedIncentive": {
      "label": "Confirmed eligible incentive",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "default": 0
    },
    "maintenance": {
      "label": "Annual maintenance allowance",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "default": 100
    },
    "years": {
      "label": "Planning horizon, years",
      "type": "number",
      "required": true,
      "default": 25
    },
    "discountRate": {
      "label": "Annual discount rate",
      "type": "percent",
      "required": true,
      "default": 4
    },
    "degradation": {
      "label": "Annual output degradation",
      "type": "percent",
      "required": true,
      "default": 0.5
    },
    "energyEscalation": {
      "label": "Annual energy-price escalation",
      "type": "percent",
      "required": true,
      "default": 2
    },
    "replacementYear": {
      "label": "Replacement year (0 means none)",
      "type": "number",
      "required": true,
      "default": 0
    },
    "replacementCost": {
      "label": "Replacement cost",
      "type": "money",
      "required": true,
      "default": 0
    }
  },
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "annualUse",
      "label": "Annual household electricity use, kWh",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 10000,
      "required": true,
      "min": 1,
      "max": 100000000,
      "step": 0.01,
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "offset",
      "label": "Target annual generation / use",
      "type": "percent",
      "defaultValue": 80,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 300,
      "step": 0.1,
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "specificYield",
      "label": "Site-specific annual yield, kWh per kW",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 1200,
      "required": true,
      "min": 100,
      "max": 3000,
      "step": 0.01,
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "selfConsumption",
      "label": "Generation used directly on site",
      "type": "percent",
      "defaultValue": 60,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 100,
      "step": 0.1,
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "importRate",
      "label": "Avoided electricity price per kWh",
      "type": "money",
      "defaultValue": 0.2,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 1000000000000,
      "step": 0.01,
      "prefix": "CAD",
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "exportRate",
      "label": "Confirmed export payment per kWh",
      "type": "money",
      "defaultValue": 0.05,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 1000000000000,
      "step": 0.01,
      "prefix": "CAD",
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "installedCostPerKw",
      "label": "Installed cost per kW",
      "type": "money",
      "defaultValue": 2500,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 1000000000000,
      "step": 0.01,
      "prefix": "CAD",
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "confirmedIncentive",
      "label": "Confirmed eligible incentive",
      "type": "money",
      "defaultValue": 0,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 1000000000000,
      "step": 0.01,
      "prefix": "CAD",
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "maintenance",
      "label": "Annual maintenance allowance",
      "type": "money",
      "defaultValue": 100,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 1000000000000,
      "step": 0.01,
      "prefix": "CAD",
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "years",
      "label": "Planning horizon, years",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 25,
      "required": true,
      "min": 1,
      "max": 50,
      "step": 1,
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "discountRate",
      "label": "Annual discount rate",
      "type": "percent",
      "defaultValue": 4,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 50,
      "step": 0.1,
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "degradation",
      "label": "Annual output degradation",
      "type": "percent",
      "defaultValue": 0.5,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 20,
      "step": 0.1,
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "energyEscalation",
      "label": "Annual energy-price escalation",
      "type": "percent",
      "defaultValue": 2,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 25,
      "step": 0.1,
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "replacementYear",
      "label": "Replacement year (0 means none)",
      "type": "number",
      "defaultValue": 0,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 50,
      "step": 1,
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    },
    {
      "id": "replacementCost",
      "label": "Replacement cost",
      "type": "money",
      "defaultValue": 0,
      "required": true,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 1000000000000,
      "step": 0.01,
      "prefix": "CAD",
      "help": "Illustrative starting value; replace with your own evidence."
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "sizeKw",
      "label": "Target DC system size, kW",
      "format": "number",
      "digits": 2
    },
    {
      "id": "generation",
      "label": "First-year generation, kWh",
      "format": "number",
      "digits": 2
    },
    {
      "id": "selfConsumed",
      "label": "On-site use of generation, kWh",
      "format": "number",
      "digits": 2
    },
    {
      "id": "exported",
      "label": "Exported generation, kWh",
      "format": "number",
      "digits": 2
    },
    {
      "id": "capital",
      "label": "Net capital cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "digits": 2,
      "currency": "CAD"
    },
    {
      "id": "annualSaving",
      "label": "First-year net saving",
      "format": "currency",
      "digits": 2,
      "currency": "CAD"
    },
    {
      "id": "payback",
      "label": "Simple payback, years",
      "format": "number",
      "digits": 2,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "npv",
      "label": "Discounted net value",
      "format": "currency",
      "digits": 2,
      "currency": "CAD"
    },
    {
      "id": "breakeven",
      "label": "Cash-flow break-even year",
      "format": "number",
      "digits": 2
    },
    {
      "id": "cumulative",
      "label": "Undiscounted lifetime net benefit",
      "format": "currency",
      "digits": 2,
      "currency": "CAD"
    }
  ],
  "formula": {
    "expression": "kW = annual use × target offset ÷ specific yield; net benefit = self-used kWh × avoided rate + exported kWh × export rate − maintenance.",
    "note": "Inputs are converted to canonical units before evaluating this stated formula."
  },
  "examples": [
    {
      "label": "Illustrative defaults; required verification checks remain unconfirmed",
      "inputs": {
        "unitSystem": "metric",
        "annualUse": 10000,
        "offset": 80,
        "specificYield": 1200,
        "selfConsumption": 60,
        "importRate": 0.2,
        "exportRate": 0.05,
        "installedCostPerKw": 2500,
        "confirmedIncentive": 0,
        "maintenance": 100,
        "years": 25,
        "discountRate": 4,
        "degradation": 0.5,
        "energyEscalation": 2,
        "replacementYear": 0,
        "replacementCost": 0
      }
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "label": "DOE energy-use arithmetic",
      "url": "https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/save-electricity-and-fuel/appliances-and-electronics/estimating-appliance-and-home"
    },
    {
      "label": "PVWatts: site-specific solar estimation",
      "url": "https://pvwatts.nlr.gov/"
    },
    {
      "label": "DOE insulation overview",
      "url": "https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/weatherize/insulation"
    }
  ],
  "publicSlug": "solar-savings",
  "namespace": "ca",
  "countries": [
    "us",
    "ca",
    "uk",
    "ie"
  ]
}