Is Solar Worth It in Montana in 2026?
Complete analysis of solar costs, incentives, net metering, and payback for Montana homeowners — without the federal ITC.
Cost Per Watt
$3.00
installed
Electricity Rate
$0.160
per kWh
Payback (No ITC)
17.1 yr
current reality
Payback (With 30% ITC)
12 yr
hypothetical
25-Year ROI
46%
return on investment
Incentive Breakdown — Montana
Available incentives for a typical 7kW residential solar system in Montana
Federal ITC (25D)
ExpiredThe federal solar Investment Tax Credit expired on January 1, 2026. No federal credit available for new installations.
State Tax Credit
NoneMontana's renewable energy tax credit expired in 2021.
SREC Market
Not AvailableMontana does not have a traditional SREC market.
Property Tax Exemption
No statewide property tax exemption for solar
Sales Tax Exemption
No statewide sales tax exemption for solar
Key Incentives: No major state-level incentives currently available.
Solar Math — With vs Without Federal ITC
Cost breakdown for a typical 7kW residential system in Montana
2026 Reality (No Federal ITC)
- System Size
- 7 kW
- Cost per Watt
- $3.00/W
- Gross Cost
- $21,000
- Federal ITC
- $0
- Net Cost
- $21,000
- Annual Savings
- $1,228/yr
- Payback Period
- 17.1 years
Hypothetical (With 30% ITC)
- System Size
- 7 kW
- Cost per Watt
- $3.00/W
- Gross Cost
- $21,000
- Federal ITC (30%)
- -$6,300
- Net Cost
- $14,700
- Annual Savings
- $1,228/yr
- Payback Period
- 12 years
Impact: Without the federal ITC, Montana homeowners face a 5.1-year longer payback period — paying $6,300 more out of pocket.
Net Metering Policy — Montana
How Montana compensates your excess solar production
Full retail rate net metering — you earn the same rate you pay for electricity. Best case for solar savings.
Montana mandates net metering at full retail rate for systems up to 50 kW under PSC rules.
Cost Per Watt Benchmark — Montana
Montana Average
$3.00/W
National Average
$3.05/W
Typical 7kW System
$21,000
Montana's average installed cost is below the national average of $3.05/W
Breakeven Timeline
Without the federal ITC, a typical 7kW system in Montana breaks even in 17.1 years. With the former 30% ITC, payback would drop to 12.0 years.
Without Federal ITC
17.1
years to break even
With Former 30% ITC
12
years to break even
Production Details
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