Solar panels in Drummondville, QC
Roofs in Drummondville get about 1,371 hours of usable sunlight a year — less than 86% of the cities we've measured. Here's what that means in cost, savings and payback, using real rooftop data rather than a national average.
Check your specific roof in Drummondville → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Drummondville solar system costs
A 24-panel system (9.6 kW) is about right for an average Drummondville home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 11,187 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 3,729 | CA$9,120 | CA$295 | 31 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 5,594 | CA$13,680 | CA$442 | 31 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 7,458 | CA$18,240 | CA$589 | 31 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 9,323 | CA$22,800 | CA$737 | 31 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 12,120 | CA$29,640 | CA$879 | 33.7 yrs |
Notice that payback barely improves as systems get bigger, and eventually gets worse. That's because you can only save money on electricity you were going to buy anyway. Once a system covers your usage, extra panels mostly generate exports at a much lower rate.
Why Drummondville gets 1,371 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Drummondville — it already accounts for shading from trees, chimneys and neighbouring buildings, which is why it's lower than the raw "hours of daylight" figures you'll see elsewhere. An unusually open, unshaded roof in Drummondville reaches about 1,426 hours, roughly 4% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,371 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 1,426 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (Quebec avg) | 7.9¢/kWh |
| Installed cost assumed | $2.85/W |
| Panel size assumed | 400 W |
| Typical household usage | 10,800 kWh/yr |
| Power used as generated | 34% |
| Paid for exported power | full retail (net metering) |
| Rooftops sampled here | 6 |
| Google imagery from | 2015 |
When Drummondville actually produces
Annual totals hide the thing that catches people out: 39% of Drummondville's yearly sunlight arrives in May–July, and just 11% across November–January.
| Month | Sun hrs | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51 | |
| Feb | 75 | |
| Mar | 108 | |
| Apr | 144 | |
| May | 171 | |
| Jun | 183 | |
| Jul | 177 | |
| Aug | 155 | |
| Sep | 121 | |
| Oct | 85 | |
| Nov | 56 | |
| Dec | 45 |
That is a severe seasonal swing — Drummondville produces roughly 4.1× as much in Jun as in Dec. A system sized to cover your annual usage will overproduce badly in summer and fall well short in winter, so how your utility credits exported power matters more here than in most places.
The annual total is measured from Google's rooftop imagery. Its split across months is calculated from solar geometry at Drummondville's latitude, not separately measured, so treat the monthly figures as the shape of a typical year rather than a forecast.
How Drummondville compares to the other 673 cities
| Measure | Drummondville | Rank of 673 |
|---|---|---|
| Usable sunlight | 1,371 hrs | 581st |
| Sunlight lost to shade | 4% | 465th most |
| Median roof size | 116 m² | 615th largest |
| Electricity rate | 7.9¢ | 673rd highest |
| Payback | 31.8 yrs | 670th fastest |
| Grid carbon | 151 kg/MWh | 671st dirtiest |
What actually stands out about Drummondville:
- The case here is financial, not environmental. Drummondville's grid is already clean at 151 kg CO₂ per MWh, so the carbon saving from solar is modest. Judge this one on payback.
- Cheap electricity is the headwind. Quebec power costs about 7.9¢/kWh. Low rates are good news generally, but they lengthen solar payback — there is simply less bill to displace.
- Older imagery. Google's aerial capture of Drummondville dates from 2015. Tree growth and new construction since then are not reflected.
Cities with almost the same sunlight
These are the closest matches to Drummondville's 1,371 usable sun hours from other states and provinces. Same sunlight, different electricity prices — which is usually what decides whether solar is worth it.
| City | Sun hrs | Rate | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utica, NY | 1,371 | 24.3¢ | 7.2 yrs |
| Greenfield, MA | 1,371 | 30.1¢ | 5.8 yrs |
| Buffalo, NY | 1,372 | 24.3¢ | 7.2 yrs |
| Ottawa, ON | 1,372 | 15.2¢ | 16.5 yrs |
Nearby cities
See all of Quebec → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
Drummondville solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Drummondville?
About 24 panels for an average home using 10,800 kWh a year. Drummondville roofs get 1,371 usable sun hours, so each 400W panel produces roughly 466 kWh annually. A typical Drummondville roof fits about 41 panels, so check your usable roof area before assuming that many will fit.
Is solar worth it in Drummondville?
At 7.9¢/kWh and 1,371 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 31.8 years and returns roughly CA$-5,839 over a 25-year panel life. That is slower than average, so compare several quotes before committing. Exported power earns full retail credit here.
How much do solar panels cost in Drummondville?
A 9.6 kW system costs about CA$27,360 before incentives. That works out near $2.85 per watt installed. Roof pitch, shading, electrical panel upgrades and equipment choice move the price most, which is why quotes for the same house can differ by thousands.
Worth reading before you buy
Estimates only, generated 2026-08-22 from Google Solar API rooftop samples and average Quebec electricity rates. Not a quote and not financial advice. Your roof, usage, utility plan and local incentives will change these numbers — get real quotes before buying.