Beaumont Solar Case Study:
Ground Mount Array, Near Net-Zero Electricity
An acreage property near Beaumont installs a 12 kW ground-mounted array. Summer production is so strong that net billing credits carry the home through winter with almost no net electricity cost.
The Property
This homeowner owns a 3-acre acreage property near Beaumont, southeast of Edmonton in Leduc County. The home is 2,800 sq ft and includes a heated shop, which elevated their annual electricity consumption to approximately 18,000 kWh per year. Their FortisAlberta bills averaged $2,900 annually before solar.
The property had no viable south-facing roof section due to the home's orientation and a heritage tree line to the south. Instead, we designed a ground-mounted array on the open south-facing lot space, set at optimal tilt for Alberta's latitude.
System Specifications
| System size | 12 kW DC |
| Mounting | Ground mount, fixed tilt |
| Panel count | 30 x 400W panels |
| Tilt angle | 35 degrees (optimized for 53°N latitude) |
| Annual production | ~15,200 kWh/yr |
| Utility | FortisAlberta |
| Financing | Cash purchase |
Ground-mounted array oriented due south at 35-degree tilt.
The Before Bill and After Impact
Representative pre-solar winter bill: $298 for a January month.
Monthly production vs. consumption. The system exports significantly from April through September, building a credit bank that funds the winter months.
12-Month Net Billing Credit Cycle
The 12 kW system produces approximately 15,200 kWh annually. The home and shop consume around 18,000 kWh. On the surface, the system doesn't fully cover consumption. But the seasonal timing is what makes it work.
From May through September, the array produces roughly 10,200 kWh while the home consumes about 7,400 kWh during those months. The 2,800 kWh surplus is credited to the account at FortisAlberta's retail rate, approximately $504 in credit value. Those credits draw down through October, November, December, and January when the system produces only 1,800 kWh against 6,600 kWh of consumption.
The net result: of the $2,900 in pre-solar electricity costs, approximately $2,700 is offset. The homeowner now pays around $200 per year in residual grid charges (fixed fees, minimum monthly charges) that cannot be eliminated regardless of solar production.
Acreage and Rural Considerations
Ground-mounted systems on rural FortisAlberta properties follow the same interconnection process as urban rooftop installs, but permit requirements go through Leduc County rather than a city building department. FortisAlberta is the wire owner for most acreage properties around Beaumont, and their interconnection approval process typically runs 4 to 8 weeks.
Beaumont itself is within Leduc County's jurisdiction for planning purposes. Ground mount setback requirements, electrical inspection, and meter upgrade timing should be confirmed with the county and FortisAlberta early in the project planning process. Our team handles all permit and interconnection coordination.
For homeowners in the broader area who want to explore solar options, see our Edmonton solar page and the Edmonton case study for the rooftop equivalent of this installation.
Acreage or Rural Property? We Can Model Ground Mount Solar for You
Ground mount installations often out-produce rooftop systems. If your roof isn't ideal, your property might be. Get a proposal showing both options and the production comparison.