BC Edition

Heat Pump or Solar First? The Real Answer for BC

You have $15,000 to spend on one upgrade. Which one saves you more money faster? Let's do the math.

The Short Answer

Heat pump wins. A heat pump pays for itself in 5–7 years. Solar takes 8–18 years. If you want to save money as fast as possible, get a heat pump first.

Heat Pump Path: The Faster Win

What you pay: $8,000 after the BC rebate. (Install costs $6,000–$18,000 depending on your home. BC rebates cover $4,000–$24,000.)

What you save per year: $1,300.

When it pays for itself: In about 6 years.

After that: Free heating for 20+ years.

Real example: A Vancouver homeowner switched from gas heat to a heat pump. Their bill dropped from $2,000/year to $700/year. They saved $1,300 in year one. In 6 years, the rebate and savings add up to cover the whole cost.

Solar Path: The Longer Wait

What you pay: $20,000 after the BC rebate. (Install costs $17,500–$27,500. BC rebates cover $1,000–$5,000.)

What you save per year: $1,500.

When it pays for itself: In about 13 years.

After that: Free electricity for 20+ years.

Real example: A Surrey homeowner installed a 5kW solar system. Their bill went down $1,500/year. But they had to wait 13 years before the system paid for itself. That's a long time to wait for free electricity.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Heat Pump Solar
Cost after rebate $8,000 $20,000
You save per year $1,300 $1,500
Pays for itself in 6 years 13 years
Free energy after 20+ years 20+ years

But Wait: What if I Want Both?

Good question. If you have the money, doing both makes sense. Here's why:

Heat pump first (Year 1): Saves $1,300/year. Pays back in 6 years.

Then solar (Year 7): By now, your heat pump is paid for. You use the savings from the heat pump to pay for solar. Then solar pays for itself in another 13 years.

By Year 20: Both are paid for. You get 20+ years of free heating and electricity.

The Heat Pump Question Everyone Asks

But won't a heat pump freeze in BC winter?

No. Modern heat pumps work down to -20°C. BC's coastal cities (Vancouver, Victoria) rarely hit -20°C. When it does get that cold, the heat pump has a backup. It automatically switches to electric heat. Your home stays warm. You just pay a bit more that one cold week.

Inland BC (Kelowna, Kamloops) gets colder. But even in those cities, new heat pumps handle the cold. The technology has come a long way.

One More Thing: Your Income

If you make less than $80,000–$120,000 per year (depending on family size), BC has an even better program: CleanBC Income Qualified. It covers 100% of the heat pump installation. No money down. No loans. Completely free.

In that case, your payback time isn't 6 years. It's immediate. Year one, you save $1,300 on heating. That's 100% free money.

Your Next Step

Want to know your exact rebate amount? Take our 20-second assessment. Tell us about your home and income. We'll show you exactly how much money you can get for a heat pump, solar, or both.