TL;DR. Solar Club (run by UTILITYnet) is one seasonal-style rate program for Alberta solar owners. As published in July 2026 it paid 35.00¢/kWh for your exports when you're a net exporter and charged 5.90¢/kWh when importing (check current rates before you sign), with automatic RateSwitch between them, a 7.25¢ Pre-Solar rate for 180 days while you wait for install, and 3% annual cashback on imports. Eligibility is any micro-generator under 150 kW with a bi-directional meter — except Medicine Hat and six REA co-ops. At those published rates it can shorten solar payback compared with a flat-rate plan.
If you're an Alberta homeowner with solar, or you're about to be one, the single financial decision that has the biggest day-to-day impact on your bill is which electricity retailer and plan you choose. The Solar Club is one option worth understanding; other retailers offer seasonal solar plans with different rates, and the right choice depends on your usage.
This guide explains how the program works. The numbers on this page are as published, when we last reviewed the guide in July 2026, by solarclub.ca, the participating retailer pages, the Alberta Utilities Consumer Advocate, and the Alberta Micro-Generation Regulation. We've installed 550+ systems since 2018; this is what we wish every Alberta solar buyer knew before signing. For the system behind the plan, see how we install solar panels in Alberta.
The 60-second version
The Solar Club is an Alberta-only electricity rate program operated by Utility Network & Partners Inc. (UTILITYnet) and offered through 15+ retailers. As a member, you switch between two electricity rates depending on whether your home is a net exporter or net importer in any given billing cycle:
| Rate | As published July 2026 | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| HI rate | 35.00¢/kWh | You produce more than you consume (typically March–October) |
| LO rate | 5.90¢/kWh | You consume more than you produce (typically November–February) |
| Pre-Solar rate | 7.25¢/kWh | Signed solar contract, system not yet running (180 days max) |
Rates as published July 2026; check current rates with Solar Club or a participating retailer before you sign.
The trick is that both the buy and sell rate match within a billing cycle. So in summer at the HI rate, every kWh you export earns 35¢ and every kWh you have to import costs 35¢, but you're a net exporter, so the math runs in your favour. In winter at the LO rate, every kWh you import costs 5.90¢ and every kWh you export earns 5.90¢, you're a net importer, so the low buy rate is what matters. Switch at the right times and you've engineered "buy low, sell high" into your electricity bill.
On top of that, Solar Club members get 3% cashback on imported electricity plus 3% cashback on bundled natural gas where the retailer offers it, paid annually. Most retailers also charge a small $7–$10/month admin fee. There are no contracts and no exit fees.
What is the Solar Club, exactly?
The Solar Club™ is an electricity rate plan operated by Utility Network & Partners Inc.: the company most Albertans know by its trade name UTILITYnet. UTILITYnet doesn't sell electricity directly to homeowners; it operates the back-end billing and trading platform that several Alberta retailers use to deliver the program. According to the program, the Solar Club rates are set centrally by UTILITYnet, so they are meant to be the same at every participating retailer (confirm with the retailer you pick), and the retailers compete on admin fees, customer service, signup incentives, and bundled gas rates.
The program is designed exclusively for grid-connected solar micro-generators in Alberta. Seasonal-style plans like this are one reason residential solar can make economic sense in Alberta without a provincial rebate.
The two rates: how the buy-low-sell-high math actually works
This is the part most homeowners get wrong. The Solar Club does not pay you a permanent premium for solar. It gives you a tool, the ability to switch rates, and the value depends entirely on whether you switch correctly.
Here's the rule a Solar Club member should memorize:
If your home is going to export more than it imports in the next billing cycle, be on the HI rate. If your home is going to import more than it exports, be on the LO rate.
That's because both rates are symmetric. At 35¢ HI, you'd love to export 600 kWh and import only 100 kWh, that's a $175 net credit. But at the same 35¢ HI in December, you'd hate exporting 50 kWh and importing 800 kWh, that's a $262 bill. Switch to LO (5.90¢) for that same December cycle and the bill drops to ~$63.
Most Alberta homes follow a predictable seasonal pattern: net exporters from roughly March or April through September or October (when solar production peaks and household consumption is moderate), and net importers from November through February (when production drops and heating, lighting, and Christmas lights spike consumption). This is why most Solar Club members historically switched twice a year, once up to HI in spring, once down to LO in fall, without much thought. (The program now does this automatically; we'll get to that.)
The arbitrage isn't hypothetical. Using the rates as published in July 2026, on a typical 7 kW Edmonton system that produces around 8,400 kWh/year and consumes 7,500 kWh/year, summer-only exports of 2,500–3,000 kWh sold at 35¢ generate $875–$1,050 of bill credits, while winter imports of ~2,500 kWh purchased at 5.90¢ cost only ~$210. That structural asymmetry is the Solar Club's signature.
The Pre-Solar Rate: 7.25¢/kWh while you wait
From the moment you sign a solar installation contract until your bi-directional meter is live, your panels can't make you any money. But you're still buying electricity. The Pre-Solar Rate exists to bridge this gap.
As published in July 2026 it was 7.25¢/kWh (some sources list a different figure, so check before you sign), and it's available for up to 180 days from enrollment, as long as you have a signed contract with a solar installer on file. After 180 days, if your install isn't complete, you automatically move to the lowest available fixed rate at your retailer.
For context, between final contract signing and meter activation, the typical Alberta install timeline runs 8–10 weeks for utility approval and bi-directional meter swap after physical installation completion, plus the few weeks the install itself takes. Six to ten weeks at 7.25¢ on a household using 750 kWh/month is roughly $40–$70 of savings. If you choose Solar Club, ask your retailer about the Pre-Solar Rate as soon as your contract is signed, not after install. Enrollment is between you and the retailer.
RateSwitch™: automatic switching, live since February 2026
Until early 2026, every Solar Club member had to remember to manually toggle their rate twice a year. Most did. Some forgot, and the result was painful, staying on HI rate through January 2024 cost some homeowners hundreds of dollars in unnecessary import charges.
UTILITYnet rolled out RateSwitch™: an automatic rate-switching feature, with the February 2026 bill runs. RateSwitch uses each retailer's existing Pre-Bill calculation, which already estimates what your import/export totals look like for the upcoming cycle, and automatically picks the rate that costs you less. If you're going to be a net exporter, you're billed at HI. If you're going to be a net importer, you're billed at LO. No action required.
You can still switch manually if you prefer. The manual rules are unchanged: up to one switch per billing cycle (12 per year maximum), 10 days' notice. No penalty. Some experienced solar owners still toggle manually because they have specific knowledge of upcoming usage, a long winter trip, a family event, a new EV plugged in, that the algorithm wouldn't predict.
For most Solar Club members, RateSwitch removes the main way people lose money on the program. Turn it on and forget it.
The 3% cashback (and why it's not gimmicky)
Solar Club members earn 3% cashback on all imported electrical energy: that is, 3% of the dollar value of every kWh they buy from the grid. Where the retailer also offers natural gas, members earn an additional 3% cashback on bundled natural gas usage. The cashback is calculated annually and paid out, typically in February of the following calendar year.
It's a small percentage, but on a typical solar household importing 4,000–5,000 kWh/year for $250–$400 worth of electricity, the rebate works out to $8–$12 a year on power, plus another $20–$40 on gas if bundled. Modest, but it stacks on top of the rate arbitrage rather than replacing it. Park Power has publicly reported that across their Solar Club membership, more than $30,000 in cumulative cashback credits and rebates have been paid out to Alberta solar households. Not life-changing per home, but real money returning to local pockets.
Two things to be honest about: the cashback applies only to energy charges. Not to distribution, transmission, riders, or admin fees. And bundled-gas cashback obviously requires you to also buy natural gas through the same retailer; if you keep your gas with another provider, you forfeit that portion.
Eligibility: who can join (and who can't)
Eligibility is straightforward but the exclusions matter. To qualify for the Solar Club you need:
1. A grid-connected solar system under 150 kW. This is the dividing line under the Alberta Micro-Generation Regulation between small micro-generators (under 150 kW) and large micro-generators (150 kW to 5 MW). Almost every residential and small commercial system in Alberta sits well below this threshold, a typical home is 5–12 kW.
2. A bi-directional cumulative meter installed by your wires company. This is the meter that tracks both grid imports and grid exports as separate totals. Critically, the Solar Club requires the cumulative type. Not the bi-directional interval type. Your distribution company (EPCOR, FortisAlberta, ATCO, or ENMAX) installs this meter as part of the standard solar interconnection process, the request is filed with your micro-generation application and the swap usually happens 8–10 weeks after physical install completion.
3. A small charitable donation. Most participating Solar Club retailers ask new members to make a small donation to a local food bank or charity of their choice as part of enrollment. It's a goodwill requirement. Not a financial barrier.
Service-area exclusions are where most surprises live. The Solar Club is NOT available to:
| Excluded service area | Why |
|---|---|
| City of Medicine Hat | Medicine Hat operates its own city-owned utility, separate from the deregulated Alberta market |
| Peigan REA | Rural Electrification Association, separate billing arrangement |
| Ermineskin REA | Rural Electrification Association, separate billing arrangement |
| Wild Rose REA | Rural Electrification Association, separate billing arrangement |
| Lakeland REA | Rural Electrification Association, separate billing arrangement |
| North Parkland Power REA | Rural Electrification Association, separate billing arrangement |
| Blue Mountain Power Co-op (formerly Rocky REA) | Rural Electrification Association, separate billing arrangement |
If you're in Medicine Hat or one of those REA territories, the Solar Club isn't available to you, but standard Alberta net metering still is, and that alone covers most of solar's economics. We'll tell you exactly where you stand at the free assessment based on your service address.
Participating retailers (and how to choose)
As listed in mid-2026, the Solar Club was offered through fifteen-plus Alberta electricity retailers. The program says the Solar Club rate is set centrally by UTILITYnet, so shopping retailers shouldn't get you a "better" Solar Club rate, but confirm the current rate with the retailer before you sign. What you can shop is admin fees, customer service quality, signup incentives, and bundled natural gas rates.
| Retailer | Notes |
|---|---|
| Park Power | $7.25/month admin fee. Donates 10% of profits from electricity bills to Alberta charities. Strong reputation for solar customer service. |
| Bow Valley Power | Independent, contract-free. Based in Canmore. Long-running Solar Club partner. |
| Encor by EPCOR | Operated under EPCOR's retail brand. Convenient if you're already an EPCOR distribution customer in Edmonton. |
| ATCOenergy | Retail arm of ATCO. Useful in ATCO Electric distribution territory. |
| Spot Power (SPOTpower) | Long-time Solar Club retailer with simple, transparent rate plans. |
| Get Energy | Edmonton-based. Solar Club rates with competitive admin fee. |
| Camrose Energy | Operates the standalone Solar Club Alberta brand at solarclubalberta.com. Personal small-town support. |
| Tassa Energy | Solar Club available alongside their standard rate offerings. |
| Glean | Maintains its own Solar Club retailer comparison page. Solid for first-time members. |
| Wholesale Power | No signup fees. No binding contracts, cancel anytime. |
| Shared Value Energy | Solar Club available with no exit fees and a community-impact mandate. |
| GreenAmp Utilities | Solar Club access alongside its broader sustainable energy offering. |
| Great Canadian Utilities | UTILITYnet-affiliated marketer offering the Solar Club. |
| Orizon Utilities | UTILITYnet-affiliated marketer offering the Solar Club. |
| Foothills Energy Coop | Cooperative model; Solar Club rate available for member-owners. |
How to actually choose between them, in three questions:
1. What's the total monthly admin fee, and is there a separate gas admin fee? The lowest electricity admin fee on the list is around $7/month; the highest is around $10. Over a year, that's a $36 spread. Not the deciding factor for most people, but worth checking.
2. Do you also want bundled natural gas with the same retailer? If yes, ask for the gas rate quote and the bundled-gas cashback details, this is where retailers genuinely differ. If no, the gas question is irrelevant.
3. Do they answer the phone in February? Solar Club cashback is paid out in February, and that's when most homeowners notice an issue or have a question. Retailers with strong phone support tend to be worth an optionally-higher admin fee; ask neighbours or check recent reviews.
Stellar Upgrades does not earn a referral commission from any of the listed retailers. You choose your own retailer and plan.
The math: a real Edmonton household example
Numbers. Not promises. Here's how the Solar Club changes the economics for a representative customer we installed for in spring 2025: a Sherwood Park home with annual electricity consumption of 7,800 kWh and a 7.5 kW system on LONGi Hi-MO 7 panels paired with APsystems DS3-L microinverters, producing roughly 9,000 kWh/year (1,200 kWh per kW installed, our standard Alberta production assumption).
| Period | Production | Consumption | Net | Rate (as published July 2026) | Bill impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr–Sep (HI rate) | ~6,800 kWh | ~3,600 kWh | +3,200 kWh exported | 35.00¢/kWh | +$1,120 in credits |
| Oct–Mar (LO rate) | ~2,200 kWh | ~4,200 kWh | −2,000 kWh imported | 5.90¢/kWh | −$168 in import cost |
| Annual energy net | ~9,000 kWh | ~7,800 kWh | +1,200 kWh net export | — | +$952 net credit on energy line |
The customer pays roughly $9–$15/month in distribution, transmission, riders, and admin charges that solar can't eliminate, about $130/year, meaning their full electricity bill before solar credits is about $130 + however much they imported at 5.90¢. At those published rates, $952 of summer credits would cover the year's distribution and transmission charges plus the 5.90¢ winter imports, with a small surplus left over. Actual results depend on current rates, your retailer's fees and how your usage changes. Add the 3% cashback on imported energy (optional carbon offsets, sold separately through an aggregator, are not included), and total annual benefit lands around $1,150–$1,350.
At the July 2026 published rates, that same household on a flat 23¢/kWh fixed-rate retailer with no Solar Club option would see annual benefit of roughly $700–$850. Same panels. Same roof. Same hours of sun. The Solar Club is responsible for $400–$500 of incremental annual savings, or, said differently, about 2.5 to 3 years of payback time shaved off. The full payback math is in our companion guide on the Alberta solar payback period.
Solar Club vs other seasonal solar plans (October 2026)
Solar Club isn't the only seasonal-style plan in Alberta. Other retailers now sell seasonal solar plans with a fixed summer rate and a fixed winter rate. Which one earns more depends on your usage pattern, the admin fee and the switching rules, so we model each homeowner's system on each plan before recommending anything. Here's how the two compare on paper, and one worked example.
| Term | Solar Club | Seasonal solar plan (example) |
|---|---|---|
| Summer rate | 35.00¢/kWh HI rate (as published July 2026; check current rates) | 40¢/kWh, April–October |
| Winter rate | 5.90¢/kWh LO rate (as published July 2026; some sources now list a different LO rate; check current rates) | 5.29¢/kWh, November–March |
| How the rate changes | Switch between HI and LO, manually or automatically with RateSwitch™ (as published; check current rules) | Fixed by calendar month |
| Cash back | 3% on imported energy (as published; check current terms) | Ask us |
| Admin fee | Varies by participating retailer, about $7–$10/month (as published; check current fees) | $8.99/month |
| Contract | Check current terms | 2 years; $75 cancellation fee |
| Who can join | Micro-generators outside Medicine Hat and the listed REA areas (as published) | Solar (micro-generation) customers; existing solar owners can switch at any time |
| Service area | See the eligibility section above | Check availability for your utility area |
Example rates: Prairie Power seasonal solar plan, October 2026. Rates vary by retailer and change over time. Seasonal plan terms as of October 2026; confirm current terms with the retailer before signing. Stellar Upgrades receives no payment from any electricity retailer.
Worked example: one typical home on each plan
A home that uses 9,000 kWh a year, with a 7.5 kW system sized to that use producing about 9,000 kWh a year. Assumptions, all stated so you can check them:
- Production by month (kWh): Jan 270, Feb 520, Mar 960, Apr 1,000, May 1,110, Jun 1,100, Jul 1,150, Aug 1,010, Sep 800, Oct 580, Nov 300, Dec 200. That puts 75% of the year's output in April–October, allowing for winter snow cover.
- Use by month (kWh): Jan 900, Feb 800, Mar 780, Apr 680, May 640, Jun 640, Jul 680, Aug 680, Sep 640, Oct 720, Nov 820, Dec 1,020. That's a gas-heated home with somewhat higher winter use.
- Seasonal plan: 40¢/kWh April–October and 5.29¢/kWh November–March, applied to each month's net import or export, plus an $8.99/month admin fee.
- Solar Club: the July 2026 published rates (35.00¢ HI, 5.90¢ LO). RateSwitch is assumed to put each month on HI when the home exports more than it imports and on LO otherwise. Cash back is 3% of imported energy charges, assuming about 30% of production is used in the home as it's made. The admin fee is $7.25/month, the lowest published fee we found.
- Left out on purpose: fixed and per-kWh delivery charges. They're set by your wires utility and are the same whichever retailer you choose, so they don't change the difference between the plans. Taxes, riders and any signup incentives are also left out.
| Line | Solar Club (July 2026 published rates) | Seasonal solar plan (October 2026 example rates) |
|---|---|---|
| High-rate months: net export credit | 2,390 kWh × 35.00¢ = −$836.50 (Mar–Sep) | 2,070 kWh net × 40¢ = −$828.00 (Apr–Oct, including October’s 140 kWh net import) |
| Low-rate months: net import cost | 2,390 kWh × 5.90¢ = $141.01 (Oct–Feb) | 2,070 kWh × 5.29¢ = $109.50 (Nov–Mar) |
| Cash back | −$33.86 | Not included (ask us) |
| Admin fee, 12 months | $87.00 | $107.88 |
| Net for the year (negative = credit) | −$642.35 | −$610.62 |
Result: under these assumptions, Solar Club earned about $32 more over the year in this example. Its month-by-month switching avoids the 40¢ charge on October’s small net import, and its cash back and lower admin fee more than offset the seasonal plan’s higher summer rate. The gap is small and moves with the assumptions:
- With a $10/month Solar Club admin fee, the two plans come out within about $1.
- With the 5.28¢ low rate some sources now list for Solar Club, Solar Club earned about $46 more.
- A home that exports more in summer, or buys less in October, tilts the result toward the higher 40¢ summer rate.
On both plans the annual credit in this example (roughly $610–$640) is what’s available to cover the fixed delivery and admin charges on your bill. The contract matters too: the seasonal plan in the table runs 2 years with a $75 cancellation fee, so check the terms on any plan before you sign. Rates change, so treat this as a method, not a forecast.
Get your system modelled on both plans
We run your last 12 months of use and your roof through each plan and show you the numbers side by side. You choose the plan and the retailer.
Get your free assessment →How Stellar Upgrades sizes systems
We size systems to your last 12 months of use; you choose your own retailer and plan. Solar Club is one seasonal-style option, and other retailers offer seasonal solar plans with different rates.
The Alberta Micro-Generation Regulation lets you size up to your historical annual consumption, so we design to your actual usage. On any seasonal-style plan, summer exports at the high rate build credits that offset lower-rate winter imports and the fixed grid charges. If you expect an EV, a hot tub or another heat pump, tell us at the assessment so we can talk through how that affects sizing.
If you choose Solar Club, the Pre-Solar Rate is worth asking your retailer about the day your contract is signed, not at install or meter swap, because it can be $40–$70 back in your pocket while you wait.
For Stellar customers adding a battery (we install the EP Cube 2.0 battery, modular from 5 to 40 kWh) or an EV charger (we install the Emporia Pro and the Wallbox Pulsar Plus), the rate plan matters for charging: on a seasonal-style plan like Solar Club, every kWh of surplus used to charge the EV in high-rate months is a kWh you don't export, so plan EV charging with the rate in mind. Battery sizing details here; EV charger installation details here.
Common Solar Club mistakes (and how to avoid them)
Mistake 1: Forgetting to enable RateSwitch and staying on HI rate through winter. Pre-2026 this was the single most expensive Solar Club mistake. With RateSwitch live since February 2026, just turn it on at signup. Done.
Mistake 2: Sizing without looking at your last 12 months of use. Size to your actual annual consumption, and plan ahead for known changes like an EV.
Mistake 3: Choosing a retailer purely on signup bonuses. Most signup bonuses are one-time. Admin fees and customer service are a 25-year relationship. We've seen homeowners chase a $50 signup bonus into a retailer that doesn't answer the phone in February. Don't.
Mistake 4: Not enrolling in the Pre-Solar Rate at contract signing. Six to ten weeks of imports at 7.25¢ instead of 23¢ retail is real money. Ask your retailer about it the same day you sign.
Mistake 5: Not bundling natural gas when you're already buying gas anyway. If your gas is with a separate retailer, the 3% bundled-gas cashback is being left on the table.
Mistake 6: Joining without knowing if you're in an excluded service area. If you're a Medicine Hat customer or you're served by one of the six listed REAs, the Solar Club isn't an option. Find out before signing a solar contract. Not after.
How to enroll: step-by-step
The mechanics, in order:
1. Sign your solar installation contract. Pre-Solar Rate eligibility starts the day you have a written contract on file with an installer.
2. Pick your participating retailer. Use the table above, and compare admin fees and service. The choice is yours.
3. Enroll on the Pre-Solar Rate. Most retailers can switch you over within one billing cycle. You'll need your account number and the installer contract on file.
4. Make the small charity donation. Required by most retailers as a goodwill commitment; usually a $10–$25 donation to a food bank or local charity of your choice.
5. Activate RateSwitch™. Ask the retailer to enable automatic rate switching on your account. Rolled out with the February 2026 bill runs.
6. After your bi-directional meter is live, switch from Pre-Solar to the standard Solar Club rate. Most retailers do this automatically once the wires company confirms meter activation; some require a phone call.
7. Watch the February cashback statement. Your retailer should issue your annual cashback in February for the prior calendar year. Confirm both the electricity 3% and the bundled-gas 3% (if you bundle).
Bottom line
If you're in Alberta, on the deregulated market, with a system under 150 kW, and not in Medicine Hat or one of the listed REA areas, the Solar Club is worth comparing against other seasonal solar plans and flat-rate options. How your bill is structured can matter more than which retailer brand is on it or minor system sizing differences. In the example above, with a system sized to the home's usage, RateSwitch on and the Pre-Solar Rate in place, the July 2026 published rates produced $1,000+ of annual benefit compared with a fixed-rate retailer. Check current rates before you decide.
Solar is a 25-year relationship: panels last 30 years, batteries 10+ and inverters 25. We've been here since 2018, and we answer the phone. Stellar Upgrades installs residential solar systems across Edmonton, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Leduc, Beaumont, Fort Saskatchewan, Red Deer, and every other community within ~200 km of Edmonton in every direction. We size every system to your last 12 months of use, and you choose your own retailer and plan. If you want a Red Seal Master Electrician and an in-house crew, book a free 30-minute assessment or call (780) 200-5265.
Sources: Solar Club official site (solarclub.ca), Camrose Energy Solar Club (camroseenergy.com/alberta-solar-club), Park Power Solar Buyback (parkpower.ca/compare-solar-electricity-rates), Bow Valley Power Solar Club (bowvalleypower.net/solarclub), Glean Recommended Retailers (goglean.ca/solarclub), Alberta Solar Advisors (alberta-solar.org/incentives/the-solar-club), EnergyRates.ca Alberta Solar Club Guide, Alberta Utilities Consumer Advocate (ucahelps.alberta.ca), Alberta Micro-Generation Regulation (Alta Reg 27/2008). Rates, terms and exclusions are as these sources published them when this guide was last reviewed (July 2026). We couldn't confirm current rates on 26 October 2026.
