The more people see their neighbours installing solar panels, the more likely they are to consider it themselves, says the head of Solar Alberta as the organization prepares for its annual conference.
"There are now more than 40,000 Albertans with solar on their homes or businesses," Solar Alberta's executive director Heather MacKenzie told Taproot. "I imagine the average Edmontonian is probably solar-curious as they're seeing solar going up… all around them."
Solar Alberta is hosting its 12th annual Solar Show from Jan. 27 to 30. The conference, which has been fully virtual since 2020, is offering six webinars this year, catering to everyone from solar newbies to experts. The conference kicks off with Solar 101, a free session that MacKenzie considers the most approachable one for the average solar-curious Edmontonian.
Despite the end of incentive programs such as the federal Greener Homes initiative, small-scale solar is booming in Alberta, noted David Dodge of Green Energy Futures, based on data from the Alberta Electric System Operator showing an increase from 1,324 small solar sites in 2016 to 41,505 as of November of last year.
"Suffice to say, solar is becoming a mainstream investment for homeowners," Dodge said.
The Canada Energy Regulator says Edmonton is among the top five cities in Canada for solar potential, given the amount of sunlight we get. Solar Alberta gave Edmonton its highest grade on the solar report cards it issued to municipalities in 2025.
Edmonton participates in the Clean Energy Improvement Program, a program administered by Alberta Municipalities that allows residents to finance renewable renovations on their homes and businesses by incorporating payments into property tax bills, with terms of up to 25 years. The city has set aside $20 million to cover the financing, which is enough to support about 300 residential and 16 commercial projects.
"Not many municipalities have a low-interest finance program for businesses," MacKenzie said. "That's pretty special in Edmonton."
Solar Alberta executive director Heather MacKenzie has been encouraged by growing interest in rooftop solar. (Supplied)
With an average residential solar array costing between $15,000 and $30,000, the program has done much to make solar more accessible, MacKenzie said, though the requirement for a minimum of three upgrades in order to access CEIP is a bit onerous, she said.
"A lot of people would like to just do one at a time," she said. "Calgary does not have that requirement, and we've got much more positive reviews from Calgarians."
The City of Edmonton's website says the minimum is in place to help it meet its target to be carbon-neutral in its corporate operations by 2040, and for the whole city to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. "The requirement for multiple upgrades to qualify for CEIP financing ensures deeper green retrofits are supported," the city says.
The growth in small-scale solar has continued even as the provincial government has discouraged larger renewable energy projects. In 2023, a seven-month moratorium on large-scale renewable energy affected 118 solar and wind projects, the Pembina Institute reported, ascribing a loss of roughly $33 billion in investment as a result.
"It really significantly reduced the number of people investing in solar farms in our province," MacKenzie said, noting that solar currently contributes to only 3% of Alberta's power grid. "For us to achieve net zero by 2050 we need solar farms to play a much larger role here."
Alberta has also put in place more permanent legislation MacKenzie describes as "discriminatory" against the industry as a whole. The regulation includes buffer and "visual impact" zones stretching across the Foothills and Rocky Mountains.
"It's making it a very poor investment climate here in Alberta," said MacKenzie, whose organization also leads the Rise Up for Renewables project to encourage vocal support of renewable energy. But she remains encouraged by the traction solar continues to see on the individual level.
"We'll continue to push hard on rooftop solar," she said. "Rooftop solar is completely nonpartisan in Alberta and everybody sees the benefit of that."