You can reduce your gas and electricity bills to $0/year

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It’s a common complaint that our utility bills are too high. Recently the cost of gas and electricity has risen due to the instability of global markets. Most people grumble a bit but will then continue to pay the higher rates.

But in Alberta, it is now possible to reduce your gas and electricity bills to $0/year. It’s done with what is called a net-zero energy home. A net-zero energy home (NZE home) is an all-electric home that generates as much energy in a year as it consumes.

“Our net-zero energy home has no gas connection, and we produce enough solar energy so that our average annual bill for lights, heat, and two electric cars is essentially zero.” Andrew

Many Alberta builders are now building super-efficient, net-zero energy homes. The 2023 Eco-Solar Home Tour will be showing 4 of these net-zero energy homes in Lethbridge on Saturday June 17^th. Each of these all-electric homes have been designed with extra insulation, better air tightness, and enough solar to offset their annual energy needs.

Your all-electric, net-zero energy home starts saving you money by not having a gas bill. With the gas gone you are left with just an electricity bill. A net-zero home has a solar array that will (on average) generate as much energy as your home consumes in a year. When the sun shines you export electricity to the grid, when the sun is not shining (e.g., at night) you import electricity from the grid. You will use more electricity in the winter months but will generate enough in the summer months to offset your usage. At the end of the year your net consumption will be essentially zero.

But what about those pesky fixed charges and riders on your bill? How can we get our electricity bill all the way to zero? That is done through special seasonal pricing. The Solar Club is an association of energy marketers that provide a two-season electricity rate: a summer high rate for when you are generating more electricity than you consume, and a winter low rate when your need to consume more than you generate. Switching between these two rates in the spring and fall will reduce your electricity bill in a net-zero energy home to zero.

“Even though we are not quite at the one-year mark, we have an annual credit on our electricity bill of $800, thanks to joining the Solar Club.” Brian

Lethbridge is blessed with abundant sunshine and with a net-zero energy home you can use that sunshine to generate all the energy you will need to run your home in a year. Then with the solar club rates you can roll back the fixed charges on your electricity bill to zero or less.

You truly can reduce your annual gas and electricity bills to zero.

Come and see how it’s done on Lethbridge’s Eco-Solar Home Tour.

About the Eco-Solar Home Tour

The Eco-Solar Home Tour Society of Alberta is a non-profit society that organizes annual free tours of homes and businesses that display practical and timely examples of sustainability. The Tour is organized by a group of volunteers who have a passion for the environment and sustainability. Through the tour they can share this passion and educate and encourage others to consider the sustainable choices in new technologies and building practices. This year we are showing 36 homes in three cities across Alberta. There are 5 homes in Lethbridge this year and three solar sites to see in the Village of Stirling.

This year is the 23^rd Eco-Solar Home Tour. The tour is free and does not require registration. For times and details go to http://www.ecosolar.ca

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