How Ontario net metering credits work — with a real worked example from a 15 kW solar + battery hybrid system on the ULO rate plan. 15 pages. Free.
A practical, plain-language walkthrough of Ontario net metering — built around real numbers, not marketing copy.
The short answer is yes — at every ULO, TOU, and Tiered time-of-use window. This section proves it with the OEB's own published numbers.
A real 15 kW solar + battery hybrid system over 30 days. 1,049 kWh generated, $232.55 credited. See exactly how the timing arbitrage works.
Net metering credits more than just the energy line — but not everything. A clear breakdown of which charges are offset and which aren't.
Three pages of a real Hydro One bill annotated line by line. See exactly how generation credits appear, what's eligible, and how surplus banks forward.
Solar alone can't control when you export. A battery lets you discharge at 39.1¢ on-peak instead of 3.9¢ overnight — that's a 10× difference per kWh.
Rate parity, timing arbitrage, credit banking, why your bill won't be zero, and what to look for on your own net-metered bill when it arrives.
The full guide is embedded below. Download or open in a new tab to print.
Six things every Ontario solar customer should understand before they sign anything.
Every kWh you push back to the grid earns the same rate the utility charges for consumption in the same time window. No spread, no haircut, no fee.
The sample customer generated 732 kWh and earned $164 in credit while consuming 1,637 kWh for only $113. Less generation, more credit — because of when.
Net metering offsets electricity, variable delivery, and variable regulatory charges. Only the fixed administration charge and HST are never credited.
Excess credits roll forward up to 12 months. Summer over-production builds a reserve you draw down through winter. Plan your system size with this in mind.
The monthly administration charge (~$37.50) plus HST together set a floor of roughly $64/month that no amount of generation will offset. Set expectations accordingly.
Solar-only systems export whenever the sun shines. A hybrid system lets you hold energy and export during the on-peak window — where it's worth up to 10× more.
This guide covers Ontario net metering under OEB rates and O. Reg. 541/05. Alberta operates under a separate micro-generation framework governed by the AUC — the rates, line items, and credit rules are different.
The underlying principles — rate parity, timing arbitrage, credit banking — apply in Alberta too, but the specifics vary. Visit our Calgary page or contact us for an Alberta-specific walkthrough.
Now that you understand how net metering works, see exactly what your system would earn — with a custom ROI analysis built on your actual energy data.