The cost of solar panels in Montana (2024)

Updated Nov 26, 2024

  • You'll pay an average of $13,531 to install a 5 kilowatt solar panel system in Montana, before incentives.

  • The federal investment tax credit (ITC) lowers that price by 30% of all your solar equipment and installation costs.

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Written by: Emily Walker

As of November 2024, the average solar panel system costs $2.71/W including installation in Montana. For a 5 kW installation, this comes out to about $13,531 before incentives, though prices range from $11,501 to $15,561. After the federal tax credit, the average price drops by 30%.

Average price of a 5 kW solar panel installation in Montana

Good Price
$11,501 or less
Market Average
$13,531
High Price
$15,561 or more

You'll probably pay even less than what we show here. It doesn't include the federal ITC or Montana state incentives, which will lower this price by at least a few thousand dollars.

Your solar panel cost depends on your system's size

It may seem obvious but larger solar panel systems cost more money. We use cost per watt ($/W) so you can easily compare quotes, controlling for slight variations in system size.

While a 5 kW system will only cost you $13,531 in Montana, doubling the system size effectively doubles the price, so you'll pay about twice that for a 10 kW system. The higher the price tag, though, the more you'll get back as a credit towards your federal tax bill.

Average solar cost by system size in Montana

System Size
System Cost
System Cost (after ITC)
3 kW$8,119$5,683
4 kW$10,825$7,577
5 kW$13,531$9,472
6 kW$16,238$11,366
7 kW$18,944$13,261
8 kW$21,650$15,155
9 kW$24,356$17,049
10 kW$27,062$18,944

Are solar panels worth it in Montana?

Solar panels are worth it in most areas, including Montana. Certain factors, including the cost of electricity, incentives, climate, and the angle at which the sun hits your roof impact how quickly you break even on your investment relative to other areas around the U.S. 

If you pay for your system with cash, you'll save about $24,437 over 25 years (the warranty term of most solar panels) on electricity costs with a 5 kW system in Montana. We generate this estimate based on real solar quote data from our Marketplace. It considers your system's cost, the federal tax credit, and inflation rates.

Payback Period
13.53 Years
25-Year Savings
$24,437
Cost-per-Watt
$2.71

If you can't shell out $13,531 in cash to pay for solar, don't sweat it. You can choose to finance your system with a loan instead. Some companies even offer $0-down loans so you can start saving on day one if your loan payments are less than your current electric bills. Just keep in mind that your long-term savings will be lower with a loan due to interest rates.

Find out what solar panels cost in your area in 2024
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The numbers we're showing are averages. The price you'll pay for solar depends on many factors unique to you and your home:

If you're looking for solar companies in MT, here are some popular suggestions:

  • Freedom Solar Pros
    Belgrade, MT
    Established 2011
    Elite Installer
    Our main focus is always on quality, both with equipment used and the installation performed. We offer the best w...
    Elite Installer
    Screened & Verified
    5.0 /5.0
    3 Reviews

    Our main focus is always on quality, both with equipment used and the installation performed. We offer the best w...
  • Freedom Energy
    Victor, MT
    Established 2012
    Elite Installer
    We put the customer first and take pride in our workmanship. Which is evident by our reviews on Google and Faceb...
    Elite Installer
    Screened & Verified
    5.0 /5.0
    3 Reviews

    We put the customer first and take pride in our workmanship. Which is evident by our reviews on Google and Faceb...
  • Carbon Recall Kalispell
    Kalispell, MT
    Established 2021
    Approved Installer
    Fully Integrated Renewable Energy Service company that help property owners reach net zero through the use of sol...
    Approved Installer
    Screened & Verified
    5.0 /5.0
    5 Reviews

    Fully Integrated Renewable Energy Service company that help property owners reach net zero through the use of sol...
  • Sunergy Solutions, LLC
    Multi-state
    Established 2019
    Approved Installer
    Energy bills have become too much to bare. With more rate increases in the near future, staying with a traditiona...
    Approved Installer
    Screened & Verified
    5.0 /5.0
    8 Reviews

    Energy bills have become too much to bare. With more rate increases in the near future, staying with a traditiona...
  • Purelight Power
    Multi-state
    Established 2019
    Approved Installer
    Purelight Power is the one-stop shop for end-to-end solar installation. If you want to work with a company that c...
    Approved Installer
    Screened & Verified
    4.5 /5.0
    12 Reviews

    Purelight Power is the one-stop shop for end-to-end solar installation. If you want to work with a company that c...

Solar is a major purchase, but you can get the price tag to come down a bit by being an educated shopper. Taking advantage of incentives and rebates and shopping around for quotes can bring down your cost of solar in Montana.

Take advantage of federal and local solar incentives

As long as your federal tax bill is high enough, you can take advantage of the federal tax credit in Montana. This incentive allows you to apply 30% of your solar installation and equipment costs toward your federal tax bill. If the amount exceeds your tax bill, you can roll over the remaining credit to the following year. Many states also offer great local incentives and rebates.

Get quotes from multiple installers

Comparing multiple solar quotes can save you money through competition and transparency. Each additional quote you receive for solar will help you find the right solar panel system at the right price.

This is where EnergySage can help. With funding from the Department of Energy’s SunShot Prize, EnergySage opened the country’s first (and now the largest) marketplace for home solar panel installations. We gather custom solar quotes from local installers on your behalf and put them in an easy-to-compare format. When you compare quotes for solar panels on the EnergySage Marketplace, you can expect to see prices up to 20% lower than if you work with a single solar company.

See what solar costs in MT cities and towns

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