Solar calculator for Colorado
Panels, system size, cost and payback for Colorado, from your own power bill.
The average Colorado home uses 674 kWh a month and pays 14.9 cents per kWh, which puts Colorado at mid-range electricity prices, so payback depends mostly on how much sun your roof gets. Winter heating shapes the bill in Colorado, and winter is when panels make the least, so a bill that looks big in January does not map cleanly to a bigger array. A south-facing fixed array there makes about 1,595 kWh per installed kW a year, and the worst winter month still gets 3.71 peak sun hours a day. Drop in your own bill below and the numbers on this page are replaced by yours.
A worked example for Colorado
Take the average home: 674 kWh a month, which is 8,088 kWh a year, at 14.9 cents per kWh (EIA, 2024 residential averages, as of 2026-11). Sized to cover all of that use, the tool returns 5.1 kWdc and 13 panels, needing about 273 square feet of roof. The installed estimate is $12,626 (national median, EnergySage H2 2025), yearly savings are about $1,205, and simple payback is 10.5 years, with no incentive applied.
Sun and yield in Colorado
We use 1,595 kWh per installed kW per year for Colorado, from NREL PVWatts v8 for the state's largest city at a 20 degree south-facing tilt (via TheGreenWatt, as of 2026-11). The darkest month averages 3.71 peak sun hours a day, which matters if you plan to go off-grid or size a battery. A different roof angle or heavy shade changes this, so treat it as a starting point.
Incentives
The 30% federal tax credit ended for homeowner purchases after December 31, 2025, so none is applied here. See the tax credit guide. Look up Colorado and your own utility for net metering terms and any local programs before relying on a payback number.
Planning estimate. Permits, interconnection approval and a licensed electrician are required for grid-tied systems.
Questions
How many solar panels does a Colorado home need?
The average Colorado home uses 8,088 kWh a year (EIA 2024). At about 1,595 kWh per installed kW, covering all of it takes 5.1 kWdc, or 13 panels. Your own bill will move that up or down.
How much does solar cost in Colorado?
For the average-home example the installed estimate is $12,626 at the national median of $2.49 per watt (EnergySage, H2 2025, as of 2026-11). We have no sourced Colorado price multiplier, so local quotes will differ.
Is there a federal solar tax credit in Colorado?
The 30% federal tax credit ended for homeowner purchases after December 31, 2025. Check your state, utility and local programs separately.
Where does the Colorado sun figure come from?
1,595 kWh per kW per year and 3.71 winter peak sun hours come from NREL PVWatts v8 runs for Colorado's largest city, compiled by TheGreenWatt (as of 2026-11). Real yield varies across the state.
Is my bill uploaded?
No. Your bill is read in your browser and never uploaded.