FAQs
Can I sign up to Solar Offset and still take part in Solar Club?
Yes, you can! Solar Club makes no claim on the emission reductions from your clean energy system – it’s only a tariff – so you can benefit both from Solar Club’s high rates and from Solar Offset. Many of our utility partners offer Solar Club. Read more on this at our blog here.
My system was part-funded via the Canada Greener Homes Grant/Loan.
Can I still join Solar Offset?
Yes, you can! Canada Greener Homes Grant/Loan makes no claim
on the emission reductions from your clean energy system so you can benefit both from this rebate and from Solar Offset.
Read more on this at our blog here.
I accessed a municipal Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP)
loan to pay for my system. Can I still join Solar Offset?
Yes, you can! As the CEIP is a loan, it makes no claim on the emission reductions from your clean energy system so you can benefit both from this loan and from Solar Offset. Read more on this at our blog here.
I already get paid for my excess electricity by my retailer.
Can I still join Solar Offset?
Yes, you can! Solar Offset allows you to turn your clean energy generation into carbon offsets, which are then sold onto Alberta's carbon market. It has no impact on your ability to sell your excess electricity to the grid.
What happens if I sell my house/farm/business property?
Joining Solar Offset has no impact on your ability to sell your property. If you sell your property, our contract with you terminates or you can assign it to the new owner. You are entitled to receive your offset credits up to the date of your property sale. The new owner is then welcome to join Solar Offset for the remainder of the project term.
What happens if I change utility provider?
Joining Solar Offset has no impact on your ability to choose a utility provider. If you choose to change your utility provider there is no impact on your participation in Solar Offset’s program.
Does joining Solar Offset restrict or change my choice of electricity provider?
No. Solar Offset doesn't impact your choice of electricity provider at all. You can be a customer of any utility provider you choose and can continue to change that whenever you like.
Why don't you offer a fixed price?
We set up Solar Offset to provide a means to reward clean energy system owners for their carbon emission reductions and deliberately structured it to offer a % of sales price, not a fixed price. We did this because we firmly believe that the value of offset credits is going to go up over time in line with Federal and Provincial government mandated carbon prices. We don’t offer a fixed price model because we want to share that price rise with you, not keep it all for ourselves.
What happens if the carbon price goes up?
The price for carbon in Alberta will rise from its current $65/tonne in 2023 to $170/tonne by 2030. We expect that the value of offsets will also rise. As we pay you a % of the sales price, this means that (unlike with fixed rate programs) if the offset credit price goes up, you make more!
What happens if the price of carbon falls?
As with any other commodity it is difficult to predict future pricing, which is a function of supply and demand in the market. However, with an increasingly strict compliance regime for carbon in Alberta, and a rising carbon price, we firmly believe that the value of offset credits is going to go up over time.
What will I need to do each year?
Not much! Every year, we will ask for copies of production data from your inverter, plus an electricity bill, to prove how much your system has produced. We then take care of quantifying and documenting the project to government rules, and ensuring it passes third-party verification, turning your clean energy generation into carbon offset credits.
How often and when will I get paid?
You get paid annually, within 60-days of the offset credits being sold in the carbon market. We pay by cheque on an annual basis. The cheque is mailed to the home/business address you have provided to us.
Do you have a community give back program?
Yes, we do – it’s called Solar Torch. Under Solar Torch, 10% of our net profits are being set aside to support community training initiatives in the clean energy space in Alberta. Read more about this in our blog here. This % is deducted only from our income after we have paid you!