Welcome to Osprey Electric
Your Trusted Solar Panel Installation Experts serving Qualicum, BC.
Harness the power of solar energy! Discover the financial and environmental benefits of solar for your home. From understanding your energy consumption to solar panel installations, our experienced team is here to guide you every step of the way.
Qualicum's Solar Potential:
Embrace Solar Power in Qualicum BC
By adding solar panels on your Qualicum BC home you have the ability to decrease your carbon footprint, increase your yearly energy savings all while adding additional value to your home. Solar power provides a renewable energy solution that helps protect the environment by directly harnessing power from the sun. Many residents of Qualicum are switching their homes to solar and here are their benefits:
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Cheaper electricity bill - In January 2023 BC Hydro and Fortis BC announced there was a 3.98% increase in electricity rates and it will continue to increase 1.1% for the next three years. By adding solar to your home or business you can see significant savings on your energy bills. (fact check: pretty sure BCUC approved 2% increase for both 2023 and 2024, not sure about beyond that. Can we do one more check on the figures? Don’t know anything about Fortis)
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Cleaner energy - Go green by installing solar panels on your home and increase the amount of clean, carbon-free energy generation produced. Using renewable energy will help reduce the use of fossil fuels and decrease the negative effects they have on our planet.
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Energy independence - with climate change on the rise and the growth of our community, the residents of Qualicum are experiencing more and more power outages every year. By adding a solar system with a backup battery to your home it can help prevent loss of power during an outage or blackout.
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Solar Power is more affordable than ever - There are many government grants and financial incentives which makes installing solar panels on your house more affordable than ever before.
Harnessing Solar Energy: How It Works
Solar panels capture and harness the energy from the sun and convert the energy into usable power for your home. A solar panel is a device that converts sunlight into electricity by using photovoltaic (PV) cells. The main component of a solar panel is a PV cell which generates electricity by converting sunlight into usable power. PV cells are made of materials that create electrons when exposed to sunlight and can be combined into different sizes and shapes to suit various applications. The technical process of using PV cells to convert the energy from the sun into useful energy for your Qualicum home is called the photovoltaic effect.
The Power of Solar Panels in Qualicum BC
It is no secret that climate change has had a big effect on Vancouver Island over the past decade. Every year we see more and more changes in our weather which often leads to power outages. With the increase of residents in the Qualicum community more people are installing solar power on their homes. Solar panels are durable and easy to maintain. They are built to withstand all the elements of Vancouver Island. In addition to being eco-friendly, solar panels also provide great financial benefits. Solar panels can significantly reduce your electricity bills and do no have annual incremental costs like conventional energy companies.
Expert Solar Panel Installation Services
Solar energy works by harnessing the natural energy produced by the sun and converts it into electricity to power your home.
Osprey Electric is a Qualicum Beach and Vancouver Island based company who understands the benefits of choosing solar. We are at heart, a bunch of electricians who love solar! This ensures we are providing the absolute best method for your project.
From design to installation, we have Red Seal electricians on staff who are involved through-out your entire project. We will walk you through the whole process from start to finish to make sure you understand how to use your system.
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Get Solar, Go Green. Get solar on your roof today, it’s more affordable than ever. Ask us how.
Benefits of Solar Power in Qualicum BC
The advantages of adopting solar power for your Qualicum home are endless. By owning your own system, you lock in your energy savings for the long term. Solar power can decrease the money spent on your electricity bills and increase the positive impact you have on the environment. Unlike fossil fuels the energy from the sun is abundant and won’t run out. Converting the light from the sun into useable energy to power your home will have many long-lasting benefits to your wallet and reduce your carbon footprint. The town of Qualicum is dedicated to supporting the conservation of our planet’s natural resources and ecosystems. They are committed to building green which will yield long-term tax savings and sustain many environmental benefits for the community.
Solar Energy Savings and ROI
Installing Solar panels to your Qualicum home is an investment in your energy future and a way do your part to help the environment. In addition to peace of mind knowing that your home is powered by renewable energy there are also significant financial benefits for adding solar power to your home in Qualicum. Solar panels can save thousands of dollars on electricity bills and offer environmentally friendly and sustainable way to power your home. Our professional solar installers in Qualicum will assess your home and advise you on the size and type of solar system you will need based on your home and energy consumption. For example, if your annual energy consumption is 15,000 kWh, you would need roughly 14 kW of solar panels installed.
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The cost of a solar panel installation varies depending depends on the size, quantity and type of solar panels you chose of your home. Qualicum installations generally vary in cost between $15,000-$25,000 and although the upfront cost seems high the return on your investment is even higher.
There are greener home incentives in place from Municipal, Provincial and Federal Governments to aid homeowners financially to transition to clean energy. You can calculate your simple solar payback period using a basic formula. (Initial Cost) / (Annual Savings) = Solar Payback Period
For example, if your initial purchase cost of the solar system was $15,000 and your annual energy cost was $1,500 it would only take 10 years to payback your investment while adding value to your home.
Based on market research, the most impactful influence on payback is the increase to the market value of your home. The value of solar array is reflected in the price of the home at 125-150% of the systems installed cost in BC. This means that the return on your solar investment is immediate. The day you installed your system you have already recuperated the cost of your investment with the increased value of your home.
Environmental Impact: Contributing to a Greener Qualicum
Qualicum is dedicated to making a greener and cleaner community. There are many benefits for choosing a greener energy source for your home. By adding solar you will be reducing your carbon footprint and improving the environment. By going solar you will be gaining energy independence from the grid and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. You will aid in improving air quality, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change which is critical to protecting humans, wildlife and our ecosystem.
Net Metering and Selling Excess Energy
When your solar power system generates more energy than your home requires, the excess is sent out to the grid and is registered on your BC Hydro Smart Meter as an ‘Outflow” of energy. In the reverse case, your energy loads are greater than the output of the solar system, so you need to import energy from BC Hydro to meet your demand and this is registered as ‘Inflow’ on your Smart Meter.
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Every 2-month billing cycle the amount of your Inflow and Outflow is registered and if your Outflow is greater than your Inflow, the excess kWh are credited towards your next billing cycle. You are not ‘paid’ for the excess you generate; you accumulate the kWh credit for future use. If during the 2-month period your Inflow exceeds your Outflow, then you have a net energy charge that will have to pay. This is Net Metering.
If on your annual anniversary date (typically March 1st) you have a net Outflow for the year, you will be credited for the net amount at the market rate which is set every January (for 2023 this rate is $0.106/kWh). If you have a net Inflow as of March 1st you will have an energy charge for the net amount, like your regular billing cycle energy charges.
Every solar system that is installed on a residential home connected to BC Hydro must complete a Net Metering application. Clients with a 200A service or less, and a solar system that doesn’t include a battery system, can complete a Simple Net Metering application themselves with a little technical help from Osprey.
Clients with a service capacity greater than 200A, or a system that includes a battery system, must complete a Complex Net Metering application. The Complex application is to be started by the homeowner but will require some greater technical assistance from Osprey to finalize the application and complete the Field Verification process after the construction has been completed. In both cases, Osprey will fully support you as needed.
Choosing Osprey Electric: Your Solar Partner
Efforts to reduce our negative environmental impact has never been more important. Providing simple and clear solutions for your energy needs is what we do. Utilizing our Solar expertise is your best choice. Osprey Electric offers a unique skillset, and we deliver the most efficient energy measures to our Qualicum community and beyond. We provide solar power panel installation and custom design solar energy solutions to fit any home. Ready to take the first step toward cleaner, greener energy? Osprey Electric has you covered. Contact us for a free consultation now!
Get Started with Solar Power
in Qualicum BC today.
The consequences of climate change are already here. Now is the time to do your part by going green with your home energy. Osprey Electric makes it easy for you to make the switch. Ready to get green and clean energy? Contact Osprey today for a green consultation.
Osprey Electric Solar Systems
solar panel
installation
for your home or business in Qualicum
Want to go green in your home? Solar power is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity to provide you with efficient and clean energy for your home. We provide Solar Power Panel installation and custom design solar energy solutions to fit any home.
solar power systems for your house or business
We help businesses develop new ways to improve energy efficiency, reduce power costs and reduce your cardon footprint. Our solar power experts will design and install high efficiency solar power systems custom to your business needs.
You can gain energy independence by using Osprey as your solar power experts.
renewable energy
systems
Renewable energy is energy produced from sources like the sun and wind that are naturally replenished and do not run out. Renewable energy can be used for electricity generation. We provide solar power panel installation and design services for your home, business and backup generation needs.*
*Generators support renewable installs like gravy on a turkey dinner