Calgary Fall Home Show: Power up with solar

Learn about adding solar panels and Tesla Powerwalls to enhance the energy usage for your home.

The day is coming when solar panels on the roof will be just as necessary as the fossil-fuel furnace in your basement. Or in future context, as necessary as it used to be.

Interest-free loans from the federal government and provincial incentive plans are helping homeowners finance solar projects while providers are busy educating the public on the technology and benefits of storing the sun’s energy.

“People are surprised to learn that solar panels are about the size of a sheet of plywood,” says Brent Doverspike, master electrician, certified fibreoptic technician and franchise owner of Stardust Solar in Calgary. The company is just one of several local companies who will be in attendance at the 2024 Calgary Fall Home Show, running Sept. 27 to 29 at the BMO Centre.

The Stardust team will provide a hands-on experience at the show so the public can understand equipment required, the manner in which it’s attached to the roof and how it’s wired inside the home.

“We ask people what they want to do with their solar. If they want a battery, it can be twice the price. So, our advice is to get it with micro inverters and in a few years, add the battery,” he says.