Solar panels in Victoria, BC
Roofs in Victoria get about 1,277 hours of usable sunlight a year — less than 96% 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.
Check your specific roof in Victoria → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Victoria solar system costs
A 25-panel system (10 kW) is about right for an average Victoria home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 10,855 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 3,473 | CA$9,120 | CA$431 | 21.2 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 5,210 | CA$13,680 | CA$646 | 21.2 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 6,947 | CA$18,240 | CA$861 | 21.2 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 8,684 | CA$22,800 | CA$1,077 | 21.2 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 11,289 | CA$29,640 | CA$1,354 | 21.9 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 Victoria gets 1,277 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Victoria — 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 Victoria reaches about 1,337 hours, roughly 5% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,277 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 1,337 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (British Columbia avg) | 12.4¢/kWh |
| Installed cost assumed | $2.85/W |
| Panel size assumed | 400 W |
| Typical household usage | 10,800 kWh/yr |
| Power used as generated | 35% |
| Paid for exported power | full retail (net metering) |
| Rooftops sampled here | 6 |
| Google imagery from | 2023 |
Nearby cities
See all of British Columbia → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
Victoria solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Victoria?
About 25 panels for an average home. Victoria roofs get 1,277 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 434 kWh annually.
Is solar worth it in Victoria?
At 12.4¢/kWh and 1,277 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 21.3 years and returns roughly CA$5,022 over 25 years. That is slower than the national average, so compare quotes carefully.
How much do solar panels cost in Victoria?
A 10 kW system costs about CA$28,500 before incentives . Prices vary by installer, roof complexity and equipment.
Worth reading before you buy
Estimates only, generated 2026-08-22 from Google Solar API rooftop samples and average British Columbia 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.