SOLAR · LIVE PRODUCTION MONITOR

Solar Yield Monitor

A live PV production dashboard styled after real inverter monitoring platforms — a system flow view, today's production curve, and live weather driving the numbers. Data: Open-Meteo, no API key required.

Showing: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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Power right nowiLive led output: system size × (current irradiance ÷ 1000 W/m²) × performance ratio × orientation factor.
kW
 
Energy todayiSum of led power across every hour of today — actual-so-far hours plus the remaining forecast hours.
kWh
 
Irradiance nowiCurrent shortwave solar radiation on a horizontal surface, from Open-Meteo's live forecast model.
W/m²
 
CO₂ avoided todayiToday's modelled energy × a rough grid-average emissions factor (0.35 kg CO₂/kWh). Illustrative only, not a certified offset figure.
kg
vs. grid average
SYSTEM FLOWiLive single-line view of power moving from sunlight through the array and inverter to the home/grid connection, plus today's weather conditions.
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SYSTEM CONFIGiThese values feed directly into the power/energy formulas — adjust them to model your own system size and setup.
System sizing
System size kWp
Rated DC capacity. 5–10 kWp is typical residential; 100+ kWp is commercial/utility scale. Type an exact value above, or drag the slider.
Performance ratio82%
Combined system losses (inverter, wiring, soiling, temperature). Industry-typical: 75–85%.
Orientation
OrientationiTilt is the panel's up-tilt angle from flat ground (0° = lying flat, 90° = standing vertical like a wall). Azimuth is the compass direction the panel faces (0°/360° = north, 90° = east, 180° = south, 270° = west). In the northern hemisphere, tilt ≈ latitude and azimuth = 180° (true south) captures the most sun over a year.
Tilt45°
Azimuth180° (S)
Tilt (side view)
Azimuth (compass)
TODAY'S PRODUCTION (modelled from live + forecast irradiance)iSolid = hours already happened today (live/actual model data). Dashed = remaining hours today, still a forecast.
Live / actual
Predicted (forecast)
 
PRODUCTION CALENDARiPick a date range to see expected solar output. Past dates use real historical weather (Historic). Near-future dates use Open-Meteo's real forecast (Predictive — forecast). Dates further out than the ~16-day forecast horizon are estimated from the same calendar dates one year ago (Predictive — estimated from last year), since no real forecast exists that far ahead.
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
Historic (actual) Predictive (forecast/estimate) Selected range
Click a start date, then an end date, to select a range.
SITE COMPARISON — 7-DAY AVERAGE IRRADIANCEiAverage of Open-Meteo's 7-day daily irradiance forecast for six representative cities in the selected province — a short-term outlook, not a long-term climate average.
Province
Location7-day avg irradianceVerdict
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SUNNIEST PROVINCES IN CANADAiIllustrative long-term annual average irradiance by province/territory. Hover a province (or a row) to highlight it both ways. The sunniest province stays highlighted permanently.
Lower average Moderate Highest — province with the most sun is permanently highlighted
Province boundaries simplified from OpenStreetMap contributor data (via the click_that_hood open dataset, ODbL) — © OpenStreetMap contributors. Irradiance values are illustrative long-term annual averages drawn from published Canadian solar resource maps (Natural Resources Canada) — a general reference only, since actual site output varies significantly within each province.
COMPANIES WITH LARGE SOLAR PORTFOLIOS IN CANADAiA mix of Nova Scotia-relevant and national players, based on public company disclosures as of mid-2026. Figures are self-reported and approximate.
Real estate / REIT · Halifax, NS

Killam Apartment REIT

One of Canada's largest residential REITs. Has installed rooftop solar PV across a growing number of properties nationwide (13 buildings added in its latest ESG cycle alone), alongside EV charging and energy-efficiency retrofits, as part of its broader ESG program.

Utility · Halifax, NS

Nova Scotia Power (Emera)

Nova Scotia's principal electric utility, integrating growing solar and other renewables into the provincial grid alongside wind, as part of Emera's broader clean-energy transition across its regional operating companies.

Independent power producer · Kingsey Falls, QC

Boralex

Diversified Canadian renewable developer with an installed portfolio spanning wind, solar, hydro and thermal assets totalling roughly 3,000+ MW across Canada, the U.S. and Europe.

Independent power producer · Longueuil, QC

Innergex Renewable Energy

Operates around 85 renewable energy facilities — hydro, wind and solar — with roughly 3,700 MW of net installed capacity across Canada, the U.S., France and Chile.

Manufacturer / developer · Kitchener, ON

Canadian Solar

Global solar module manufacturer and utility-scale project developer headquartered in Ontario, with over 55 GW of solar energy developed worldwide since 2001 through its Recurrent Energy subsidiary.

Independent power producer · Toronto, ON

Northland Power

Major Canadian clean-energy developer with a growing utility-scale solar development pipeline, alongside its large offshore wind and other renewable holdings.

Independent power producer · Calgary, AB

BluEarth Renewables

Alberta-based renewable developer active in utility-scale solar, including the 150 MW Yellowhead Solar Project — one of several large Alberta solar builds reflecting the province's strong solar resource.

Independent power producer · Toronto, ON

Cordelio Power

Toronto-based power producer with over 1,400 MW of operating wind, solar and storage projects, and a much larger pipeline of projects in development across North America.

Real estate / REIT · Toronto, ON

CAPREIT

Canada's largest residential REIT, with rooftop solar installed at properties such as Parque on Park as part of a broader energy-efficiency and carbon-reduction strategy across its portfolio.

Real estate / REIT · Calgary, AB

Boardwalk REIT

Canada's largest owner/operator of multifamily rental communities, concentrated in AB, BC, SK, ON and QC. Completed its first solar PV installation at an Edmonton property as part of its 2025 ESG program.

Manufacturer · Toronto, ON

Silfab Solar

Canadian-owned solar module manufacturer with production facilities in Ontario and Washington State, supplying residential and commercial panels across the North American market.

Commercial/industrial EPC · Calgary, AB

SkyFire Energy

One of Canada's longer-running solar EPC (engineering, procurement, construction) firms, delivering commercial, industrial and utility-scale solar installations across the country.

ANATOMY OF A GRID-TIED SOLAR SYSTEMiHover or tap any part of the diagram (or a card below) to highlight it both ways — same interaction as the province map.
DC current (panels → inverter) AC current (inverter → grid)
01

PV Modules (Panels)

Convert sunlight directly into DC electricity via the photovoltaic effect. Rated in watts (Wp) under standard test conditions.

02

Racking / Mounting

The structural framework that secures panels to a roof or the ground at a fixed (or tracking) tilt angle.

03

DC Disconnect

A safety switch that isolates the array's DC output from the inverter for maintenance or emergencies.

04

Inverter

Converts DC electricity from the panels into grid-compatible AC electricity. String, micro, and power-optimizer types are common.

05

AC Disconnect

Isolates the inverter's AC output from the home's electrical system, typically required by code near the meter.

06

Production Meter

Tracks how much energy the solar system generates — separate from the utility's bidirectional net meter.

07

Main Service Panel

The home's breaker box, blending solar generation with grid supply and distributing power to circuits.

08

Utility Grid Connection

Where excess solar power is exported to (or backup power imported from) the local utility grid.

Optional add-on

Battery Storage

Stores excess solar energy behind the inverter for use during outages or after sunset.

Optional add-on

Monitoring System

Hardware/software (like this dashboard) that tracks real-time and historical production data.

ELECTRICITY PRICE VS. ILLUSTRATIVE SOLAR LCOE, BY PROVINCEiBoth columns default to researched/modelled values but are fully editable — type your own numbers if you have better data. Solar LCOE defaults use representative utility/community-scale costs ($1.60/W, 1.5% annual O&M, 5% discount rate, 25-year life, 15% tilt gain over flat horizontal irradiance), a different, lower cost basis than the residential payback calculator below.
Uses representative utility-scale solar costs, not residential retail pricing — see the calculator below for a homeowner-scale estimate.
ProvinceElectricity priceIllustrative solar LCOEVerdict
Electricity prices default to approximate residential averages as of mid-2026, but every row is editable — type in your own known rate and the verdict updates live. Use the ↻ button to reset a row to the researched default.
SOLAR INVESTMENT & PAYBACK CALCULATORiEstimates how many years your own solar investment takes to pay for itself in avoided electricity costs, using your expected annual production and the selected province's electricity rate.
Province
Sets the electricity rate and pre-fills Expected annual production below, both stay fully editable after. Use Reset to snap everything back to researched defaults for the selected province.
System size kWp
Typical residential systems run 5–10 kWp. Type an exact value above, or drag the slider.
Installed cost
$ per watt installed, before any rebates — edit to match a real quote.
Electricity rate
¢/kWh — defaults to the selected province's approximate residential average.
Expected annual production (kWh)
This is what drives the payback numbers below — the total kWh your system is expected to produce per year. Pre‑filled from system size × the province's irradiance figure, but edit it to match a real installer quote or PVWatts estimate. The province irradiance estimate itself is shown below for comparison only — it no longer feeds the calculation.
Specific yieldiSpecific yield = annual energy produced (kWh/yr) ÷ installed capacity (kWp). It's the standard metric for comparing solar systems of different sizes on equal footing.kWh / kWp / yr
Province irradiance estimate (comparison only)iCalculated as: province's average irradiance (kWh/m²/day) × 365 × 82% performance ratio (derates for inverter losses, wiring, temperature, soiling). Note: unlike the LCOE figures elsewhere in this dashboard, this estimate does not include a tilt/orientation gain for a properly angled south-facing array — it's a flat-irradiance baseline, so it runs somewhat conservative (roughly 15% lower) versus a well-oriented system.
Your yield (used in calculation)
Difference
Advanced assumptions iAll of these are set to realistic industry-typical defaults, but every one is editable. They only affect the numbers below when Advanced mode is on.
Rebates & incentives
One-time $ reduction to upfront cost (federal/provincial programs, if any apply to you). Net metering export-credit terms vary by utility and aren't modelled precisely here — check with your local utility.
Financing
Cash: full cost paid upfront. Loan: financed, cash flow shown as loan payments instead.
Electricity price inflation
% per year — rates have historically risen over time, which shortens real payback.
Panel output degradation
% per year — typical crystalline-silicon panel degradation rate.
Annual maintenance
$ per year — cleaning, monitoring, minor repairs.
Inverter replacement
$ cost, at which year — most inverters are warrantied 10–15 years.
Discount rate (LCOE only)
% per year — represents the time value of money for your Solar cost of energy (LCOE) figure below. Unlike the other fields on this panel, this one applies whether Advanced mode is on or off — it's a modeling assumption, not a simplification toggle. 5% is a conventional default; raise it if you'd otherwise put this money somewhere higher-return, lower it if your alternative is a savings account.
Your solar cost of energy (LCOE)iLevelized Cost of Energy for your specific system — the present value of every dollar it will cost (upfront cash or loan payments, plus maintenance and any inverter replacement) divided by the present value of every kWh it's expected to produce, over 25 years at an editable discount rate (see Advanced assumptions above, default 5%). Based on the standard residential LCOE methodology. Two terms aren't modeled and are treated as zero: performance-based incentives, and the tax benefit of deducting loan interest (not typically applicable to residential solar financing in Canada).
¢/kWh
vs. your electricity rate
Total investment
Annual savings
Payback period
Net savings after 25 yrsi25 years is used because it's the industry-standard solar panel performance warranty period — most manufacturers guarantee around 80% of original output at year 25 — making it the conventional horizon for solar investment comparisons, even though panels often keep producing well beyond it.
Paying off investment
Free energy, banked as savings
These are estimates only. This calculator ignores electricity price inflation (rates historically rise over time, which would shorten payback), panel output degradation (roughly 0.5%/year), financing costs if the system isn't paid in cash, maintenance/inverter replacement costs, and any federal or provincial rebates or net-metering program details. Get quotes from a licensed installer and check current incentive programs before making a purchase decision.
Want to model these yourself? Turn on Advanced mode above.
HOW THIS DASHBOARD IS CALCULATED

Power now (kW) = system size (kWp) × (live irradiance ÷ 1000 W/m²) × performance ratio × orientation factor.

Orientation factor rewards tilt near latitude and azimuth near true south, using a simplified cosine model — not a full transposition model (e.g. HDKR/Perez).

Energy today integrates that formula across today's hourly irradiance values, from midnight to now (actuals) plus the remaining forecast hours.

CO₂ avoided uses a simplified grid-average emissions factor (0.35 kg CO₂/kWh) applied to today's modelled energy — a rough illustrative figure, not a certified offset calculation.

Utility-scale solar LCOE (Regional tab): LCOE = (CAPEX/kWp × capital recovery factor + annual O&M) ÷ annual energy yield. Uses representative community/utility-scale assumptions — $1.60/W capital cost, 1.5% annual O&M, 5% discount rate, 25-year life, and a 15% tilt gain over flat horizontal irradiance — not residential retail pricing.

Your solar LCOE (Savings tab), based on the standard residential LCOE formula:

LCOE ≈ [ PC − CBI − PVPBI + Σ LPn⁄(1+d)n − Σ INTn⁄(1+d)n×ETR + Σ OMn⁄(1+d)n ] ÷ Σ EOn⁄(1+d)n
PCProject cost (net upfront cash outlay, $0 if fully financed) CBICost-based incentive (rebate) PVPBIPresent value of performance-based incentives — not modeled, treated as 0 LPnLoan payment in year n INTn × ETRLoan interest × effective tax rate — not modeled (not typically deductible for residential solar loans in Canada), treated as 0 OMnOperations & maintenance in year n, including any inverter replacement EOnEnergy output in year n (degraded from year 1) dDiscount rate — editable in the Savings tab's Advanced assumptions, defaults to 5% (same default used for the Regional tab's fixed LCOE rate)
DATA SOURCES & FURTHER READING
Live weather API

Open-Meteo

Free weather API powering every live/forecast figure on this dashboard — irradiance, UV, cloud cover, temperature. No API key required.

Geocoding

Open-Meteo Geocoding

Powers the location search bar, resolving a city name to coordinates for the live weather lookup.

Solar resource maps

Natural Resources Canada

Source for the illustrative provincial irradiance values used on the Regional tab's Canada map.

Production modelling

PVWatts (NLR)

Industry-standard free PV production calculator, run by the National Laboratory of the Rockies (renamed from NREL in December 2025) — a good cross-check against this dashboard's simplified model.

Feasibility modelling

RETScreen

Natural Resources Canada's clean energy feasibility software.

Industry association

CanREA

Canadian Renewable Energy Association — industry data and policy tracking for wind, solar and storage across Canada.

Companion tool

Wind Turbine Power Calculator

The Betz's Law-based wind companion to this dashboard — shares its Canada-map pattern and design language.

This project

GitHub — tmugomba

Source code and the rest of the renewable energy analytics this dashboard belongs to.