Solar in Billings, MT
With Yellowstone Valley Electric Co-op's electricity at about 15.2¢ per kWh and 1,334 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Billings home today: about a 15.1-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 15.1 yrsMontana: 19.6 yrs
- 25-year net
- $15,634after paying $20,780
- Sun
- 1,334kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 15.2¢16% below U.S. average
A typical Billings home, by the numbers
| Utility | Yellowstone Valley Electric Co-op |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 893 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 7.2 kW, about 17 panels, 9,605 kWh a year (90% of use) |
| Cost | $20,780 |
| First-year savings | $1,455 |
| Payback | 15.1 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (Montana rule) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 1.8% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Billings
- Owner-occupied homes
- 65%
- Single-family detached
- 63%
- Median home value
- $343k
- Median year built
- 1980
- Population
- 119,434
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 83%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 33,291 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Billings
Public installation records for Montana don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Montana.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Billings
Is solar worth it in Billings, MT?
For a typical home in Billings, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 7.2 kW system costs about $20,780 after state incentives, saves about $1,455 in year one and pays back in about 15.1 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Billings?
About 1,334 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 Montana average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Billings?
Most homes in Billings are served by Yellowstone Valley Electric Co-op, at about 15.2¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by NorthWestern Energy.
How much do solar panels cost in Billings?
A fair cash price is around $2.90 per watt before incentives, so about $20,780 for a 7.2 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Bozeman 16.3 yrs
- Helena 15.5 yrs
- Great Falls 15.5 yrs
- Butte-Silver Bow 15.7 yrs
- Missoula 17.3 yrs
- Kalispell no payback
- All of Montana
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.