Simplee Digital
Solar Savings & Payback Calculator (US/Canada)
Mobile-first. Country → Region tiles → Inputs → Calculate → Results → Visuals. Clear icons, persistent selection highlights.
Choose your country
Tap a country to load its regions and defaults. Tiles keep their blue outline and a ✓ checkmark when selected.
Pick your region
Region tiles apply typical utility rates, export credits, yield and fixed fees. You can refine everything below.
Inputs
6009001,2001,500
Average kWh consumed per month before solar.
$0.12$0.18$0.25$0.32
Blended energy charge. Inflation is applied yearly.
$0$10$25
Basic service charge that remains after solar.
247
Annual increase in utility rate.
57.51020
DC nameplate capacity.
1,0001,2001,5001,700
Higher in sunnier regions and optimal roof tilt.
0.20.50.81.0
Annual output decline of modules.
507090
Share of solar used on-site; exports are credited below.
050100
Net metering policy; some places credit at full retail, others lower.
$12,000$18,000$24,000$40,000
Turnkey price. Region tiles can estimate from cost/watt.
$0$1,000$3,000
Utility or municipal incentive applied before tax credit.
01530
Federal or provincial/state credit (approximate).
Use loan
Down payment %
Interest rate %
Term (years)
If enabled, loan payments are subtracted from annual savings.
Include demand savings
Demand rate ($/kW)
Baseline peak (kW)
Peak reduction %
Rough estimate of demand charge savings per month, ×12.
202530
We simulate year-by-year savings, costs and payback to this horizon.
Results
Total installed cost$0
Turnkey system price before incentives.
Net installed cost$0
Cost minus rebate and tax credit.
Year 1 bill before → after (monthly)$0 → $0
Average monthly utility bill before and after solar.
Year 1 monthly savings$0
Bill reduction net of fixed fees and export credits.
Simple payback—
Years until cumulative savings exceed net cost.
Horizon net savings$0
Total savings minus net cost over the horizon.
IRR (estimated)—
Annualized return on cash flows (loan included if toggled).
Solar LCOE$0/kWh
Levelized solar energy cost across the horizon.
Visuals
Bill without solar
Bill with solar
Cumulative savings
What you’re seeing: Blue is projected utility spend without solar, yellow is the bill with solar, violet is cumulative savings over time.
Positive net
Negative net
Cash flow explained: Bars show annual savings minus any loan payments. Red bars indicate negative net during early payback years.
Year by year summary
We show a Year 0 row for the upfront outlay. Each year’s Cumulative Net (end) equals prior cumulative plus that year’s Net.
| Year | Cumulative (start) | Production (kWh) | Rate ($/kWh) | Bill w/o Solar | Bill with Solar | Savings | Loan Pmt | Net (Savings − Loan) | Cumulative Net (end) |
|---|
Solar Power & Savings Basics (US & Canada)
Your savings come from offsetting grid energy with on-site solar generation. Key drivers: your utility rate (and its inflation), specific yield (kWh/kW/year), and local net metering rules (how exports are credited). In the US, a 30% federal tax credit can reduce net cost; in Canada, provincial incentives and utility rebates vary by region.
- Specific yield: Higher in sunny/climate-favorable regions and with optimal roof tilt/azimuth.
- Self-consumption: Using more solar as it’s generated increases savings (exports can be credited lower than retail).
- Degradation: Typical modern panels decline ~0.3–0.8%/year; we model this so production slowly tapers.
- Financing: If you use a loan, annual cash flow = savings − loan payments. Payback extends but IRR may still be attractive.
How to use this calculator
- Select Country and tap a Region tile to load realistic defaults.
- Tune usage, rates, system size and net metering assumptions.
- Optionally add financing and (for commercial) demand charge savings.
- Hit Calculate, review KPIs, charts, and the year-by-year table.
- Export a clean PDF or Share a parameterized link with your scenario embedded.
Talk to Simplee Digital
We’ll tailor this model to your utility & roof.
Common use-cases where solar makes sense
- High electricity rates or steep expected inflation.
- Daytime load alignment (homes with EV charging/work-from-home; businesses with daytime operations).
- Good roof (unshaded, south/south-west tilt, adequate area) or land for ground-mount.
- Attractive incentives (federal/state/provincial/utility rebates or tax credits).
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate are the defaults by region?
They’re illustrative. We approximate rates, yields, export credit and fixed fees per region. Always confirm with your utility/provider.
Does this include battery storage?
Not yet. Storage changes self-consumption and export value. We can extend this to model batteries—just ask.
What about maintenance and inverter replacement?
This version doesn’t deduct O&M explicitly; you can pad costs in the inputs. We can add an O&M line item if desired.
Are incentives refundable?
Some credits reduce liability rather than paying cash. We model them as a reduction to net cost; consult your tax professional.
How is IRR calculated?
We use a standard iterative IRR on upfront cost/down payment and annual net (savings − loan), through your selected horizon.
Do US and Canada results differ?
Yes—currency, typical rates, incentives and net metering vary. Pick your country/region to load localized assumptions.