How to Use Solar Energy to Save on Winter Heating Costs in Canada

Choosing a solar installation company is one of the smartest decisions you can make to combat rising energy costs, especially in Canada’s harsh winters.    As energy bills soar, homeowners and businesses turn to renewable energy solutions to reduce their reliance on the grid.    Installing solar panels isn’t just an environmentally conscious choice; it’s also an effective way to lower your heater expenses. Maximizing solar power can generate electricity to offset power costs and reduce your carbon footprint.    In this blog, we’ll explore how energy systems can help save on winter heating costs while contributing to a more sustainable future. 

Integrate Solar Thermal Systems

This system effectively warms your home during the cold Canadian winters. Unlike photovoltaic (PV) panels, thermal systems use PV collectors to capture the sun’s power and convert it into heat.

How it Works

Active Heating	PV thermal panels collect radiation, and a heat pump transfers this collected heat to your building.
Passive Heating	Utilizes the building’s structure, like window orientation or roof design, to collect heat naturally.

Tips for Installation & Maintenance

1. Proper Sizing: Ensure your system is properly sized to meet your home’s needs. A solar panel installer can assess your home’s requirements.
2. Regular Maintenance: Clean the panels regularly to ensure maximum efficiency, especially during winter when snow or ice buildup can reduce photovoltaic production.
3. Storage Solutions: Consider adding batteries to store excess energy for night use or during cloudy days.

Integrating this system into your home can offer immediate benefits by reducing costs and increasing energy savings over time. Whether through passive or active systems, this solution is an excellent way to take advantage of the sun’s energy, even during the cold winter months.

Deploy Solar PV Systems 

Panels can run electric heating schemes by converting sunlight into electricity, such as baseboard heaters or electric heat pumps. This can effectively lower your dependence on expensive fossil fuels while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

How the System Works

1. Solar Installations: First, a solar panel installation company will set up your roof. The system captures sunlight and converts it into electricity through the cells.
2. Powering Electric Heater: The generated electricity is then used to power your electric heater system. For instance, you can use the power to warm your home with baseboard heaters, electric radiators, or pumps.

Setting Up a PV System

1. Assess Your Power Needs: Consult with the best solar companies in your area to calculate how many residential panels are needed. This will depend on the size of your home, insulation, and the heater system.
2. Install the Solar Energy System: Once the system size is determined, the best installers will install the panels and connect them to your electric heater system.
3. Incorporate PV Batteries: Consider adding batteries to store power for use during cloudy days or after dark. This ensures a continuous supply of power for heating. You can even sell excess electricity on the grid.

Incorporate Passive Solar Heating Design

This is an efficient and sustainable way to warm your home without relying on mechanical designs or electricity. This technology uses the sun’s natural power to heat spaces. It has smart design elements like south-facing windows and thermal mass to collect, store, and distribute heat.

Key Aspects

1. Aperture: Opt for a large glass area, usually windows, that faces within 30 degrees of true south. These windows allow sunlight to pour into the building and warm up the interior. Ensure the windows are unobstructed between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. during winter.
2. Thermal Mass: Materials like concrete, brick, stone, or tile absorb sunlight’s warmth and store it. They then slowly release the heat when the sun isn’t shining to maintain warmth during colder evenings and cloudy days.
3. Distribution: The warmth collected and stored in the thermal mass is distributed throughout the building through conduction, convection, and radiation. This ensures an even distribution of warmth without the need for electric-powered systems.
4. Control: Shading devices, such as roof overhangs, prevent overheating in the summer by blocking direct sunlight while allowing it to enter during the winter.

Benefits

• Cost-Effective: A passive heater reduces costs, making it an excellent complement to a solar panel system.
• Sustainable: It’s a clean energy solution that reduces dependency on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions.

Homes in regions like Canada, where winters are long and cold, benefit greatly from passive design. This is especially true when combined with a solar power system. By incorporating passive heating, you can reduce electricity costs and increase your home’s overall efficiency—no extra equipment is needed.

Solar-Assisted Heat Pumps (SAHPs)

SAHPs are transforming how Canadians approach winter heating, as these systems help lower costs. By integrating panels with heat pump technology, these systems maximize renewable energy—a cost-effective solution during cold months.

Cost Savings

The average homeowner’s heater costs in Canada can exceed $1,100 annually. SAHPs can reduce these expenses by up to 50%, particularly when replacing electric heater systems. For instance, in cities like Toronto and Calgary, annual savings can reach $300 to $700 depending on the home type and power source used. This translates to substantial savings over the system’s lifespan, often allowing for payback within 20 years if initial costs are managed effectively.

Efficiency in Cold Climates

SAHPs operate efficiently even in freezing temperatures. They extract warmness from the air and convert it for indoor use. This capability is crucial in regions with harsh winters. Hybrid or monocrystalline panels enhance efficiency by supplying some of the electricity needed for the pump to reduce reliance on grid power.

System Configurations

There are two main configurations for SAHP, differentiated by how they transfer heat from the panels to the heat pump:

Indirect Expansion	Uses water mixed with antifreeze (like glycol) as a heat transfer fluid. This mixture helps prevent ice formation during colder months.
Direct Expansion	In this configuration, the refrigerant fluid is placed directly in the panel’s hydraulic circuit. This allows for a phase change (from liquid to gas) within the panel itself.

Use BEMS (Building Energy Management Systems) 

BEMS optimize electricity consumption by monitoring and controlling heat, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) in real time.

Enhanced Efficiency

BEMS utilizes advanced algorithms to adjust heaters based on occupancy and external weather conditions. For instance, they can automatically lower heater levels in unoccupied areas to ensure electricity is not wasted. This capability can lead to 20-50% savings, which means lowering bills during the cold season.

Real-Time Monitoring

These techniques continuously monitor usage, enabling early detection of inefficiencies or faults. BEMS helps minimize repair costs and reduce waste by identifying issues before they escalate. This proactive approach not only lowers operational expenses but also enhances the overall efficiency of heater systems.

Financial Benefits

Implementing a BEMS can result in substantial cost savings for building owners. In many cases, the initial investment in these strategies is quickly offset by reduced electricity bills and maintenance costs. Moreover, government incentives for power-efficient upgrades make it financially viable for many Canadian businesses to adopt BEMS.  

 

Start Your Solar Panel Installation Project Today

Incorporating PV energy into your warming strategy can reduce your winter costs in Canada. From integrating thermal systems and SAHPs to incorporating passive PV design, these renewable solutions can help you save cash while reducing your carbon footprint.  Whether you’re considering residential or commercial solar panel installations, the long-term savings and efficiency are undeniable. Start your project today with MAG Solar. Our expert team will guide you through the process and ensure you get the best system for your needs. Contact us now.