Ballpark Lab
Colorado solar estimate

Solar Panel Cost in Colorado (2026)

Installed solar in Colorado runs about $2.70 per watt — roughly 5% above the national average of $2.58/W. With the federal residential tax credit (25D) gone as of 2026, payback here rests on a $0.16/kWh power price and 5.2 daily peak sun hours.

Worked example: a typical $150/month home in Colorado

A $150/month electric bill in Colorado works out to about 11,043 kWh a year. Sizing a cash-purchase system to cover 100% of that:

System size
7.6 kW
Panels
19
Annual offset
104%
Gross cost
$23,020
Federal credit (25D)
$0
Expired 12/31/2025 — $0
State incentive
$0
Net cost
$23,020
Payback
10.6 yr
25-year savings
$45,402

Last updated June 30, 2026

Colorado solar numbers

Installed price
$2.70 / watt
Electricity price
$0.16 / kWh
Peak sun hours
5.2 hrs/day
State incentive
0%
Net-metering value
100% of retail

$/W: industry pricing surveys · electricity: U.S. EIA, 12-month average through April 2026 · sun hours: NREL.

Local context: High-altitude sun and strong utility programs make Colorado one of the steadier solar markets.

Estimate your own Colorado system

Adjust the bill, ownership, and battery options below — it's pre-set to Colorado's pricing and sun hours.

Tell us about your home

Average monthly electric bill$210
Estimated system cost
$26,605$34,555
10.4 kW26 panels
Low $27kMost likely ~$30,580High $35k
Federal tax credit
— expired Dec 2025, we won't pretend otherwise
$0
State & utility incentives
$0
Est. annual savings
$2,574
Payback period
~10.3 yr
Net cost
$27k–$35k
25-year net savings
+$63,051
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Monthly shape modeled with NREL PVWatts® v8 (NSRDB 2020 TMY) — updated July 18, 2026.

Electricity 16.3¢/kWh — U.S. EIA, 12-month average through April 2026.

iA ballpark estimate for planning — not a final quote.

Data: U.S. EIA · OpenEI URDB · Google Solar · NREL PVWatts · DSIRE · IRS · ENERGY STAR · industry surveys see all sources

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