Vernon & the North Okanagan
Solar Panels in Vernon, BC
Turn your own roof into the cheapest power you will ever buy. We install solar for homes, businesses and off-grid properties across the North Okanagan — and we give you the numbers before you commit to anything.
- Systems from $9,500 installed
- Expected output and payback year in writing
- Licensed electricians, permits handled
See What Solar Would Save You
Fifteen minutes, no obligation, a straight answer either way.
Lower Bills From Okanagan Sunshine
Vernon gets more usable sun than most of Canada. The North Okanagan sits in one of the better solar windows in the country, and the power you generate at midday in July offsets the power you pull back from BC Hydro in January. That is the whole idea behind net metering, and it is why solar works here even though our winters are real.
The question is never really whether panels work. It is whether they work on your property, at your power consumption, at a price that pays back before the warranty runs out. That depends on which way your roof faces, how much shade falls across it, how much electricity you actually use, and what your panel can carry. Those four things vary enormously between two houses on the same street.
So we start there. Call 250-250-2525 and we will tell you in about fifteen minutes whether solar is worth pursuing on your roof — including when it is not.
Who We Install For
Three kinds of property, three quite different conversations.
Homeowners
Your BC Hydro bill goes up most years and it is never going back down. A rooftop system turns your own roof into the cheapest power you will ever buy, and net metering credits whatever you do not use at the time you make it.
Businesses, Orchards & Wineries
Commercial buildings carry demand charges and usually sit under a lot of unused roof and land. Agricultural properties in particular have the space for a system that meaningfully changes the operating cost of the business.
Off-Grid Properties
Past the end of the line, a grid connection can cost more than the system that replaces it. We size battery banks and generator backup for properties that have never been connected — and for ones where the quote to connect came back absurd.
What We Install
Five things, done properly, across the North Okanagan. If you are not sure which one you need, call 250-250-2525 and describe your property — that is usually a two-minute conversation.
Residential Solar Panel Installation
Grid-tied rooftop systems for houses across Vernon and the North Okanagan, sized to your actual power use. From $9,500 installed.
Commercial & Agricultural Solar
Roof and ground-mount systems for businesses, orchards, wineries and farms — including demand-charge modelling.
Off-Grid Solar Systems
Complete independent power with battery bank and generator integration, sized for winter rather than summer.
Solar Battery Storage & Backup Power
Keep essential circuits running through an outage. New installations or retrofits to existing systems.
Solar Panel Repair & Maintenance
Output diagnosis, inverter replacement, cleaning and inspection — including systems we did not install.
What Does Solar Actually Cost in BC?
Most Vernon installers will not put a number on a web page. We will, because the range is not a secret and pretending otherwise just wastes your afternoon.
A small starter system runs from about $9,500 installed. A typical Vernon house ends up somewhere between $14,000 and $24,000 depending on size, and a large home with a heat pump or an EV can reach $30,000. Where you land inside that depends on your roof pitch and orientation, how much shade you get, panel count, and whether your electrical panel needs upgrading.
| System size | Suits | Installed cost | Est. annual output | Est. annual saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 kW | Small home or partial offset | from $9,500 | ~4,400 kWh | ~$600 |
| 6 kW | 1,500–2,000 sq ft home | from $14,000 | ~6,600 kWh | ~$900 |
| 8 kW | 2,000–2,800 sq ft home | from $18,500 | ~8,800 kWh | ~$1,200 |
| 10 kW+ | Large home, heat pump or EV | from $23,000 | ~11,000 kWh+ | ~$1,500+ |
Ranges reflect typical North Okanagan installations. Output and savings are estimates based on regional sun hours and current BC Hydro residential rates. Your figure depends on your property — the estimate is free and specific to it. Financing is available; ask about monthly options.
How net metering pays you back
When your panels make more than you are using, the surplus goes onto the grid and BC Hydro credits your account at the retail rate. Those credits carry forward, so the long Okanagan summer builds a balance that draws down through winter. It is the mechanism that makes solar work at this latitude — and it is why sizing the system to your actual annual consumption matters more than covering every square foot of roof.
How It Works
Four steps, and you know where you stand at the end of each one.
Assessment
We look at twelve months of your power use, your roof planes, orientation and shading, and your electrical panel. Most of this happens on the phone and with satellite imagery before anyone visits.
Design & Quote
You get a system size, an expected annual output figure, your estimated BC Hydro net-metering credit, and a payback year — in writing, with the assumptions stated.
Permits & Installation
We handle the electrical permit and the BC Hydro net-metering application. Installation is carried out by our team and our vetted contractor partners. A typical residential install takes one to three days.
Commissioning & Handover
The system is inspected, connected and commissioned. We show you how to read your production, and what your first post-solar bill should look like.
Where We Work in the North Okanagan
We install across Vernon and the surrounding region — from the lakeshore at Okanagan Landing to the snow loads up at Silver Star, out through the farmland at Spallumcheen and Armstrong, and as far as Lake Country, Kelowna and Salmon Arm.
Rural properties past Lumby and Cherryville are a regular part of our work, and those are often the ones where off-grid or battery backup makes the most sense.
- ColdstreamBC
- Okanagan LandingVernon, BC
- East HillVernon, BC
- BXVernon, BC
- LumbyBC
- ArmstrongBC
- EnderbyBC
- SpallumcheenBC
- Lake CountryBC
- KelownaBC
- Salmon ArmBC
- Silver StarVernon, BC
Why People Call Us Back
- A real number before you commitExpected output, net-metering credit and payback year in writing, not a sales pitch.
- We will tell you if it does not workWrong roof angle, too much shade, too little use. We would rather lose the job than install a system that disappoints you for twenty-five years.
- Licensed electricians, permits pulledEvery grid-tied system commissioned to BC Hydro’s net-metering interconnection requirements.
- Built for Okanagan conditionsSnow load up at Silver Star, summer heat derating, wildfire smoke and its effect on output.
- One point of contactFrom first estimate through commissioning, not a chain of subcontractors.
- Homes, businesses and off-gridGrid-tied, hybrid or fully independent — we install all three.
Common Questions
What is the average cost of installing solar panels in BC?
Most residential systems in British Columbia land between $9,500 and $30,000 installed, depending on size. A small 4 kW system starts around $9,500. A typical family home running 6–8 kW usually falls between $14,000 and $24,000. Large homes with a heat pump or an EV can reach $30,000.
The figure moves with roof orientation, shading, panel count and whether your electrical panel needs upgrading.
Is it worth getting solar panels in BC?
It depends almost entirely on how much electricity you use. Households with higher consumption — heat pumps, electric vehicles, larger homes, workshops — see the strongest returns, because every kilowatt-hour you generate offsets one you would otherwise buy.
A low-consumption household on a heavily shaded lot often does not clear the bar. Most well-sized North Okanagan systems fall in a twelve to eighteen year simple payback range at current rates, against warranties that typically run twenty-five years.
Is there a rebate for solar panels in BC?
Rebate programs in British Columbia change regularly, and eligibility depends on your property, your utility and what else you are upgrading at the same time. Rather than list a program that may have closed, we check what is current and applicable to your specific address as part of the free estimate.
Financing is available for most residential installations.
How does BC Hydro net metering work?
Your system feeds surplus generation onto the grid and BC Hydro credits your account at the retail rate. Credits carry forward month to month, so summer production offsets winter consumption.
Systems are sized against your annual usage rather than your roof area, because generating far beyond what you consume does not pay.
How long does installation take?
A typical residential install takes one to three days on site. The longer part is permitting and the BC Hydro net-metering application, which we handle — allow a few weeks end to end.
Find out what solar would do for your power bill.
A free estimate takes about fifteen minutes on the phone. No pressure, no obligation, and a straight answer either way.