Home › Solar by city › Quebec › Montreal

Solar panels in Montreal, QC

Roofs in Montreal get about 1,384 hours of usable sunlight a year — less than 84% of the cities we've measured. Here's what that means in cost, savings and payback, using real rooftop data rather than a national average.

1,384Sun hours / yr
23Panels typical
CA$26,220Cost after credit
30.7 yrPayback
Be careful in Montreal. At a 30.7-year payback, solar here is a long-horizon decision, mostly because electricity is relatively cheap (7.9¢/kWh). It can still make sense if rates rise or you have local incentives — but check the numbers hard before signing.

Check your specific roof in Montreal → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.

What a typical Montreal solar system costs

A 23-panel system (9.2 kW) is about right for an average Montreal home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 10,823 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.

Estimated economics by system size in Montreal, at 7.9¢/kWh
SystemSizekWh/yr Net costSaves/yrPayback
8 panels3.2 kW 3,764CA$9,120 CA$297 30.7 yrs
12 panels4.8 kW 5,647CA$13,680 CA$446 30.7 yrs
16 panels6.4 kW 7,529CA$18,240 CA$595 30.7 yrs
20 panels8 kW 9,411CA$22,800 CA$743 30.7 yrs
26 panels10.4 kW 12,235CA$29,640 CA$882 33.6 yrs

Notice that payback barely improves as systems get bigger, and eventually gets worse. That's because you can only save money on electricity you were going to buy anyway. Once a system covers your usage, extra panels mostly generate exports at a much lower rate.

Why Montreal gets 1,384 sun hours

That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Montreal — it already accounts for shading from trees, chimneys and neighbouring buildings, which is why it's lower than the raw "hours of daylight" figures you'll see elsewhere. An unusually open, unshaded roof in Montreal reaches about 1,490 hours, roughly 8% better than typical.

The numbers behind this page

Typical usable sunlight1,384 hrs/yr
Unshaded roof1,490 hrs/yr
Electricity rate (Quebec avg)7.9¢/kWh
Installed cost assumed$2.85/W
Panel size assumed400 W
Typical household usage10,800 kWh/yr
Power used as generated35%
Paid for exported powerfull retail (net metering)
Rooftops sampled here14
Google imagery from2024

Nearby cities

Solar panels in LavalQuebecSolar panels in BurlingtonVermontSolar panels in OttawaOntarioSolar panels in GatineauQuebecSolar panels in Quebec CityQuebecSolar panels in AlbanyNew York

See all of Quebec → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.

Montreal solar questions

How many solar panels do I need in Montreal?

About 23 panels for an average home. Montreal roofs get 1,384 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 471 kWh annually.

Is solar worth it in Montreal?

At 7.9¢/kWh and 1,384 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 30.7 years and returns roughly CA$-4,879 over 25 years. That is slower than the national average, so compare quotes carefully.

How much do solar panels cost in Montreal?

A 9.2 kW system costs about CA$26,220 before incentives . Prices vary by installer, roof complexity and equipment.

Worth reading before you buy

What your utility pays for exportsChanges payback more than any equipment choice 12 questions to ask before signingIdentical systems vary 30–40% in price How long do panels last?Guide How long until it pays for itself?Guide

Estimates only, generated 2026-08-22 from Google Solar API rooftop samples and average Quebec electricity rates. Not a quote and not financial advice. Your roof, usage, utility plan and local incentives will change these numbers — get real quotes before buying.