Solar in Butte-Silver Bow, MT
With NorthWestern Energy's electricity at about 15.4¢ per kWh and 1,305 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Butte-Silver Bow home today: about a 15.7-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 15.7 yrsMontana: 19.6 yrs
- 25-year net
- $11,887after paying $17,660
- Sun
- 1,305kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 15.4¢15% below U.S. average
A typical Butte-Silver Bow home, by the numbers
| Utility | NorthWestern Energy |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 707 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 5.9 kW, about 14 panels, 7,698 kWh a year (91% of use) |
| Cost | $17,660 |
| First-year savings | $1,182 |
| Payback | 15.7 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (NorthWestern Energy) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 1.8% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Butte-Silver Bow
- Owner-occupied homes
- 71%
- Single-family detached
- 72%
- Median home value
- $258k
- Median year built
- 1957
- Population
- 35,052
Census ACS 2020–2024.
Older housing stock. Many homes here were built before 1975. Have the roof and electrical panel checked before signing; a roof or panel upgrade can add thousands. Roof first?
Installers working in Butte-Silver Bow
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 Butte-Silver Bow
Is solar worth it in Butte-Silver Bow, MT?
For a typical home in Butte-Silver Bow, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 5.9 kW system costs about $17,660 after state incentives, saves about $1,182 in year one and pays back in about 15.7 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Butte-Silver Bow?
About 1,305 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 2% more than the Montana average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Butte-Silver Bow?
Most homes in Butte-Silver Bow are served by NorthWestern Energy, at about 15.4¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Butte-Silver Bow?
A fair cash price is around $2.90 per watt before incentives, so about $17,660 for a 5.9 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Helena 15.5 yrs
- Bozeman 16.3 yrs
- Missoula 17.3 yrs
- Great Falls 15.5 yrs
- Kalispell no payback
- Billings 15.1 yrs
- 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.