Solar in Meridian, ID
With Idaho Power's electricity at about 12.6¢ per kWh and 1,484 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Meridian home today: about a 17.6-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 17.6 yrsIdaho: 18.3 yrs
- 25-year net
- $3,986after paying $8,472
- Sun
- 1,484kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 12.6¢30% below U.S. average
A typical Meridian home, by the numbers
| Utility | Idaho Power |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 899 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3.6 kW, about 8 panels, 5,341 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $14,120, or $8,472 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $534 |
| Payback | 17.6 years |
| Exported power | 4.5¢/kWh (Idaho Power) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 1.8% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Meridian
- Owner-occupied homes
- 75%
- Single-family detached
- 82%
- Median home value
- $532k
- Median year built
- 2007
- Population
- 130,138
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 98%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 30,135 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Meridian
Public installation records for Idaho don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Idaho.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Meridian
Is solar worth it in Meridian, ID?
For a typical home in Meridian, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 3.6 kW system costs about $8,472 after state incentives, saves about $534 in year one and pays back in about 17.6 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Meridian?
About 1,484 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 4% more than the Idaho average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Meridian?
Most homes in Meridian are served by Idaho Power, at about 12.6¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Meridian?
A fair cash price is around $3.45 per watt before incentives, so about $14,120 for a 3.6 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Eagle 18 yrs
- Kuna 17.6 yrs
- Nampa 18.1 yrs
- Boise City 17.9 yrs
- Caldwell 18.3 yrs
- Twin Falls 17 yrs
- Lewiston 18 yrs
- Pocatello 17.7 yrs
- All of Idaho
Data: PVWatts (National Laboratory of the Rockies), EIA-861 2025 adjusted to 2026, U.S. Census ACS, LBNL Tracking the Sun, state policy research as of October 2026.