What is the solar score for Idaho?

Idaho has a solar score of 20/100 (Marginal), ranking #45 of 51. The composite blends solar irradiance (4.7 kWh/m²/day, 40%), incentive density (30%), and modeled payback (30%).

How long does it take for solar panels to pay for themselves in Idaho?

The estimated payback for a 6 kW system in Idaho is 20 years, ranking #50 of 51 for speed to break-even. At a $16,500 system cost and $823/year modeled savings, that implies +$4,075 net over 25 years before rate escalation.

How much does a solar system cost in Idaho?

A 6 kW residential system in Idaho averages $16,500 before incentives, or $2.75 per watt. Idaho has 1 tracked state and utility incentive programs that can lower net cost.

How much electricity do solar panels produce in Idaho?

A 6 kW system in Idaho produces an estimated 8,234 kWh/year, based on average irradiance of 4.7 kWh/m²/day. Actual output varies with roof orientation, shading, and panel efficiency.

What solar incentives are available in Idaho?

Idaho offers 1 solar incentive programs including net metering. Net metering here is classified as full.

Does Idaho have net metering for solar?

Idaho's net-metering policy is classified as "full." Homeowners receive full retail credit for excess solar exported to the grid.

State solar profile · #45 of 51

Solar in Idaho: slow payback · modest sun

Name: Idaho Solar Data, Cost, Incentives & ROI
Creator: PlainSolarData
Published: 2024-10-01
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Idaho's 20-yr modeled payback (#50 of 51) is on the slow side of the corpus; rates (10¢/kWh) and 1 programs decide whether sun (4.7 kWh/m²/day) still pays.

4.7
kWh/m²/day irradiance: 10¢
avg electricity rate: 20 yr
payback (#50): 1
incentive programs

20 Marginal

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NREL/EIA solar strip

Nameplate ID · Idaho score #45/51

Idaho | 20/100 | 20 yr payback | 502 MW

BOOK 20/100
VS-AVG #45/51
GW 4.7 kWh
IRR 10c/kWh
STRIP 20 yr
FORM860 502 MW
MW 1 programs
SCORE near Iowa

Stamps derive from this state's NREL irradiance, EIA Form 860 / Electric Power Monthly nameplate, and DSIRE incentive row (score, rank, sun, rate, payback, capacity, programs, peer), not a quote or site assessment. Modeled figures use a typical 6 kW system; your roof, shading, and utility tariff decide the real return. See our disclaimer. Verify with EIA Form 860 → · Read with methodology → · Net-metering guide → · Personalized estimate → · All state rows → · States ranked → · Payback vs U.S. avg (14.2 yr): 5.8 yr slower

AR

17
KY

18
LA

18
ND

18
WV

19
ID

20

What this shows Idaho sits at 20 years among nearest payback peers (5.8 yr slower vs the 14.2-yr U.S. average).

Slow-band 25-year ROI · Idaho

$16,500

system cost

$823/yr

modeled savings

20 yr

break-even

+$4,075

25-year net

Slow-band math: $16,500 in vs $823/yr out. Check net-metering (full) and program stack before treating the 25-year net as settled. Run a personalized estimate →

Installed solar capacity in Idaho, 2016–2024

Total solar nameplate capacity in Idaho reported to the EIA, utility-scale and reported distributed systems. The number of reporting facilities grew 6x (2 to 12) between 2016 and 2024, and the average site size fell from 60 MW to 42 MW per site, a shift toward smaller, more distributed installations.

Idaho now has about 502 MW of installed solar capacity across 12 reported facilities.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, installed solar nameplate capacity As of 2024

Idaho's national sun-vs-payback seat

Irradiance 4.7 kWh/m²/day (below the 4.8 national mean) vs 20-yr payback (slow band vs 14.2-yr mean). Crosshairs mark those means.

Idaho (highlighted): 4.7 kWh/m²/day, 20-yr modeled payback - slower than the national average.

Source: PlainSolarData model, NREL irradiance + EIA rates As of 2024

Solar & grid details

Net-metering policy: full
Renewable portfolio standard: Voluntary (100% by 2045)
Installed cost / watt: $2.75/W
Annual production (6 kW): 8,234 kWh
Installed capacity (EIA 2024): 502 MW

Top incentive programs

1 programs available for Idaho residents

Net metering ID Net Metering · Retail rate credit

All Idaho solar incentives (1)

Net metering

ID Net Metering

Retail rate credit

Idaho utilities must offer net metering for systems up to 25 kW.

Slower-payback neighbors for Idaho

Two non-geographic peer sets for Idaho: composite score neighbors and payback-year neighbors (deduped so each row links a distinct comparison).

Similar composite solar score

Nearest nationwide matches on the NREL/EIA/DSIRE blend (20/100 here).

Iowa · score 21/100
Kentucky · score 21/100
Michigan · score 18/100
Ohio · score 18/100

Similar modeled payback

Nearest payback-year peers nationwide (20 yr modeled here).

West Virginia · 19.4 yr payback
North Dakota · 18.2 yr payback
Louisiana · 17.8 yr payback

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published composite scores and modeled 6 kW payback years; rankings above use the same fields but sort the full corpus.

Solar resource from NREL; electricity rates and installed capacity from the U.S. EIA; incentive programs from DSIRE. See our methodology.

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher. · Updated July 2026