[Benched]

Take it with a HUGE grain of salt:
While I was getting installed I also was trying to figure out the 'fees' portion of costs with my solar to understand the potential cost savings there. This is for residential (different fees for different types of buildings) in Calgary (other areas have different fee calculations) and I'm not an expert in the field, just sleuthed out a bit on the internet so it may or may not be accurate.

Distribution = flat $0.6479/day + $0.013033/kWh
Transmission charge = $0.042094/kWh
Local Access = 11.11% of RRO/kWh + 11.11% of your Distribution charge + 11.11% of your Transmission charge

So lowering the amount of kWh power you draw will affect the distribution charge in that you will be charged less on the $0.013033/kWh portion. (your daily is flat and no way to avoid it if you are connected to the grid/have a meter, as referenced above)

Lowering the amount of kWh power you draw will affect the transmission charge

Lowering the amount of kWh power you draw will affect the Local Access Fee because the other 2 fees are lower, so 11.11% of lower = lower. And 11.11% of less kWh drawn is lower.


Based on early results my fees since solar installed (Feb) are:
Distribution is about 3% higher (not sure why, this seems odd, maybe just high winter months ruining my averages)
Transmission is about 30% lower
Local Access is about 35% lower

VERY small sample size to be sure. Worth noting that this data is for Feb-April 22nd so I was a net consumer. Starting this billing cycle for April 22nd-May I'll be a net exporter and it may be more favorable.


So I'd say you save on fees, unknown % at this stage of the game, maybe 30-70% is a good window to guess at, over the year averaged out to 50%? (Even if you net export, you are drawing at night when you are not producing solar [unless you have batteries] so you will have draw + transmission fees.) *shrug*

Anything you sell = credits which is pretty apparent. The harder part to figure out is the part you produce and self-consume, as that is where you will save in fees by not pulling from the grid. It's also pretty subjective to each person's lifestyle and when they use power. I know people that only do laundry during the day for example, while the sun is shining and their panels are producing.