Free Solar Panels Ontario – What’s The Catch?

If you are an Ontario homeowner, you have probably heard about getting your home installed with the Free Solar Panels Ontario Program – and actually getting paid to do it. Maybe you saw a sticky note posted on your front door that said you had been pre-qualified. Or perhaps you had a salesperson knock on your door. If you have never heard about this program, it’s easy to dismiss it as a scam. Nothing in life comes for free. Right!?  

Is the Ontario free solar program a scam? NO it is not!

The program that you may have heard about for ‘free solar panels in Ontario’ is definitely not a scam. It is in fact, very legitimate. However, that does not mean that solar panels have no monetary value. In fact, it costs tens of thousands of dollars for a residential solar system to be installed.

Is the Ontario free solar program totally FREE?

NO it is not! Even though the program is offered at no cost to the homeowner, someone has to pay for the panels. In this case it is the solar installer paying for it, and it is not free for them. The reason why the installer is putting solar on your roof at no cost to you is because they will be receiving money from the provincial government MicroFIT program and splitting some of the profits with you. This is why we have named our free solar program ‘Share Solar’. This is a solar leasing agreement you would be doing with the installer.

But is the Free Solar Panels Ontario Program even legitimate? Everything has a cost, right?

Fun fact: Our Share Solar Program is the only solar program where there is truly no cost to you, with no deposits and no credit checks required. The catch is, your home needs to meet the qualification criteria.

What Are Some Of The Qualification Criteria? Before an installer accepts a home for free solar, there are numerous qualification criteria that will be analyzed. Some of these criteria include total square footage of the roof, roof orientation relative to the sun (south facing is best), shingle condition, and local hydro grid capacity. If your property does qualify, the solar installer in this case will cover all the cost for installation, as well as provide ongoing maintenance, and insurance.

What is the actual cost to you? As a homeowner, there is no cost to you, but a condition to the program is that you cannot make any major modifications to your roof because this could alter the position of the solar panels or require the panels to be uninstalled for a lengthy period of time. The installer only benefits by selling energy produced from the panels, so they will want you to keep them on your roof producing electricity, without long interruption.

The True Beauty Of The Program

1.  It is an affordable way for you to get solar panels on your roof.
2. You can buy out the system whenever it is more financially convenient (ex. when you are renewing your mortgage), or you can never spend any money on it. Your choice.
3. Whoever is living in the home after 20 years will get to inherit the panels at no cost. They can then be used to offset your electricity bills.
4. You receive a one time free panel removal and re-installation when you want to re-shingle your roof

 

Free Solar Panels Ontario AKA The Share Solar Program

Our installer, Polaron Solartech, offers a unique program where you can go solar at no cost. This program is called ‘Share Solar, but is also known as the Ontario Free Solar Program to most people. With Share Solar, there are 3 options to go solar. You can get paid $2000-$3000 upfront (depending on the size of your roof), 10% of what the solar system produces ($300 per year, on average), or you can engage in an accelerated ownership agreement where you can make up to $16,000 over 20 years!

Want to know the next step? If you are interested in hearing more about solar and how it could benefit you as a home owner in Ontario, connect with us by filling out our contact form, and we will create a customized solar proposal for you.