Solar Club Alberta: Honest Review & Guide [2025 Rates Revealed]
March 31, 2025
Solar
Solar
Solar Club™ is an electricity rate structure offered by Utility Network & Partners Inc. for property-owners in Alberta with a grid-connected solar system! The program offers a unique electricity rate structure, which often improves the solar payback period for many homeowners when compared to the typical electricity rates in Alberta. The program is designed for property owners with grid-connected solar systems under150 kW, making it available for most houses and small buildings across the province.
Traditional electricity rates are fixed or floating, but Solar Club members enjoy flexible pricing options. Members can alternate between high summer rates of 30.00¢/kWh and low winter rates of 8.77¢/kWh depending on seasonal production. Generally, homes that generate more than 70% or more of their annual electricity needs become “net exporters” during the summer months, and benefit through this dynamic rate structure.
If this sounds confusing, stay with me! This detailed guide will help you understand Solar Club’s workings and determine if it fits your home's needs.You'll discover everything about this innovative energy program, from current rate structures to practical benefit-maximizing strategies.
SolarClub, is simply an electricity rate structure designed to help homeowners with grid-connected solar systems maximize their solar investments. The program lets solar system owners earn premium rates for electricity they generate and export to the grid as a registered microgeneration site. The program is available through several retailers around the province.
SolarClub's strategy works on a simple 'buy low, sell high' approach. Members select between two different rates throughout the year. The high rate is currently 30.00¢/kWh and is most economical when selling excess power back to the grid during the summer months. The low rate is currently 8.77¢/kWh, making it economical when buying electricity in the winter months.
Rate changes align with Alberta's natural solar production patterns. Solar owners typically choose the high rate from March through October when their systems produce more electricity than is consumed in the home. They switch to the low rate from November through February as production drops during the winter months. Solar Club gives members great flexibility to manage their rate changes. Members can change rates once per billing cycle at no cost, and schedule future rate switches based on predicted production patterns.
In the above example of a solar production graph, the red bar represents the household energy consumption, and the yellow bar represents the estimated solar energy production. For this household, the system produces more energy betweenApril - September, than is consumed. We would recommend being on the high rate between April - September, and the low rate from October - March for this customer.
Net metering drives the credit system, and your chosen rate determines the monetary credit earned for excess energy sold to the grid. For example, 1000kWh x30.00¢/kWh = $300.00 of credit earned. However, at the low-rate the amount of credits earned would be 1000kWh x 8.77¢/kWh = $87.70. Rate switching makes a major difference in the amount of cash your excess energy can generate.
These credits help you in several ways: They can offset your electricity bill charges including:
Unused credits roll over to future months, which helps cover winter electricity bills when solar systems don’t produce as much electricity. Properly sized systems often result in zero out of pocket electricity bills during the summer months, with credits lasting into December/January. The program provides extra perks beyond standard credits. Members can get a 3% annual cash back reward on imported electricity. Many Solar Club retailers also support their local communities through profit-sharing programs.
In this example the customer has exported 500kWh of electricity, and imported 200 kWh of electricity during a given month. They’re likely in a summer month and over-producing energy during the day, but importing electricity during the night.
Solar Club (High Rate): ( 30.00¢/kWh)
Electricity Export Credit = 500 kWh * 30.00¢/kWh = $150.00 (Credit)
Electricity Import Cost= 200 kWh * 30.00¢/kWh = -$60.00 (Fee)
Net Credit = $150.00 -$60.00 = $90.00
Distribution,Transmission, Admin Fees = 200 kWh * 10.00¢/kWh + $10.00 (admin) = -$30.00
Credit After Fees =$60.00 (This can be used in future months).
Traditional Electricity Rate: ( 9.00¢/kWh)
Electricity Export Credit = 500 kWh * 9.00¢/kWh = $45.00 (Credit)
Electricity Import Cost= 200 kWh * 9.00¢/kWh = -$18.00 (Fee)
Net Credit = $45.00 -$18.00 = $27.00
Distribution,Transmission, Admin Fees = 200 kWh * 10.00¢/kWh + $10.00 (admin) = -$30.00
Credit After Fees =-$3.00 (actually still a small portion of the bill remaining).
In this example, the customer had a $60.00 bill credit by using Solar Club, which was $63.00 more than if they had stayed on the traditional electricity rate. This bill credit can be saved and appliedto future months with less solar production.
SolarClub's current rates help homeowners make smart choices about their solar investments. The 2025 rate structure gives solar panel owners clear advantages through a dual-rate system.
The high export rate is currently 30.00¢/kWh. This rate works best during peak solar production times. Solar systems generate extra electricity between March and October. Micro-generators earn good money by selling their excess power back to the grid.
The low import rate is currently 8.77¢/kWh. Homeowners save money during high consumption periods. These savings can add up during winter months from November through February. Members also earn a 3% cash-back reward on all imported electrical energy.
Each provider charges different administrative fees. On average this seems to range between $7.00 - $10.00/month.
The 2025 rates have altered the map of Alberta's retail energy sector. The new Rate of Last Resort (ROLR) at 12¢/kWh makes Solar Club rates more appealing. This shows the program's real value.The high export rate of 30.00¢/kWh shows program stability, especially with recent market changes. Alberta's Micro-Generation Regulation keeps buying and selling rates equal during billing periods. This ensures solar energy producers get fair payment for electricity.
Your Solar Club membership value depends on strategic electricity rate switching and awareness of seasonal patterns. Smart optimization techniques will help you maximize returns while supporting Alberta's renewable energy future.
Your solar generation patterns determine the timing of rate switching. Members typically switch from low to high rates in March and return to low rates in October. Not withstanding that, your specific solar setup and electricity usage patterns may require modified timing. There are several ways to determine the optimal timing for your system:
SolarClub gives you a beneficial Pre-Solar Rate of 6.69¢/kWh while you wait for system installation. You can get this rate right after signing a solar installation contract. The Pre-Solar Rate stays valid for 180 days from enrollment. After this period, you automatically move to the lowest available fixed rate if your installation isn't complete.
SolarClub Alberta helps homeowners get better returns on their grid-connected solar investments. Members can reduce their electricity costs through rate switching between high export rates of 30.00¢/kWh and low import rates of 8.77¢/kWh. This approach supports renewable energy adoption. The best results come when homeowners switch to high export rates during peak production months(March-October) and low import rates in winter. Their flexible switching options and 3% annual cash-back rewards help improve your solar financial return!
Homeowners should get a quote from Evalence Renewables to understand their savings potential with a grid-connected solar system. We can help you determine the optimal system size, and design to take advantage of the financial incentives solar club offers.
