Solar panels in Colorado
Roofs across Colorado get about 1,746 hours of usable sunlight a year, and electricity costs 14.8¢/kWh. That combination puts a typical system's payback at 9.4 years. Here's the detail, from real rooftop data across 19 Colorado cities.
Check your own roof in Colorado → These are regional figures; your roof's size, pitch and shading move them a lot.
How Colorado compares
Colorado gets more sunlight than 78% of the cities we measure, and its electricity costs more than 38% of states and provinces. Both matter, but not equally: the electricity rate usually matters more, because solar saves money by replacing power you would otherwise buy. A sunny state with cheap power often pays back slower than a cloudy state with expensive power. Why that happens →
Solar by city in Colorado
| City | Sun hrs/yr | Panels | Net cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamosa | 2,090 | 16 | $12,768 | 7.9 yrs |
| Durango | 1,978 | 17 | $13,566 | 8.4 yrs |
| Grand Junction | 1,857 | 18 | $14,364 | 8.9 yrs |
| Greeley | 1,843 | 18 | $14,364 | 8.9 yrs |
| Pueblo | 1,822 | 18 | $14,364 | 8.9 yrs |
| Aurora | 1,821 | 18 | $14,364 | 8.9 yrs |
| Colorado Springs | 1,808 | 18 | $14,364 | 8.9 yrs |
| Centennial | 1,795 | 18 | $14,364 | 8.9 yrs |
| Thornton | 1,756 | 19 | $15,162 | 9.4 yrs |
| Loveland | 1,746 | 19 | $15,162 | 9.4 yrs |
| Broomfield | 1,743 | 19 | $15,162 | 9.4 yrs |
| Westminster | 1,742 | 19 | $15,162 | 9.4 yrs |
| Steamboat Springs | 1,722 | 19 | $15,162 | 9.4 yrs |
| Fort Collins | 1,718 | 19 | $15,162 | 9.4 yrs |
| Denver | 1,708 | 19 | $15,162 | 9.4 yrs |
| Longmont | 1,693 | 19 | $15,162 | 9.5 yrs |
| Lakewood | 1,685 | 19 | $15,162 | 9.5 yrs |
| Arvada | 1,684 | 19 | $15,162 | 9.5 yrs |
| Boulder | 1,624 | 20 | $15,960 | 9.9 yrs |
What a system costs in Colorado
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 4,749 | $6,384 | $703 | 9.1 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 7,124 | $9,576 | $1,054 | 9.1 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 9,498 | $12,768 | $1,406 | 9.1 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 11,873 | $15,960 | $1,638 | 9.7 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 15,435 | $20,748 | $1,770 | 11.7 yrs |
Payback stops improving as systems grow, then gets worse. You can only save on electricity you were going to buy, so once a system covers your usage the extra panels mostly export at a lower rate.
Colorado solar incentives
Every US household can claim the 30% federal residential clean energy credit, which is what the "after credit" figures above assume. On a $21,660 system that is $6,498 back. How the credit works →
State, utility and municipal incentives stack on top and change often — Colorado may offer rebates, property or sales tax exemptions, or performance payments. We deliberately don't list specific state programmes here because they change several times a year and stale numbers are worse than none. The DSIRE database is the standard reference and is kept current.
Colorado solar questions
Is solar worth it in Colorado?
At 14.8¢/kWh and 1,746 usable sun hours, a typical Colorado system pays back in about 9.4 years and returns roughly $25,241 across a 25-year panel life. That is a solid return, and rising electricity prices only improve it. Individual cities in Colorado vary widely around this average.
How many solar panels do I need in Colorado?
About 19 panels for a home using 10,800 kWh a year. Each 400W panel produces roughly 594 kWh annually at Colorado sunlight levels. Your own figure depends on actual usage — pull a year of bills rather than assuming average consumption, since heating and EV charging change it a lot.
How much do solar panels cost in Colorado?
A 7.6 kW system runs about $21,660 before incentives and $15,162 after the 30% federal credit, or roughly $2.85 per watt installed. Quotes vary widely by installer, roof complexity and whether your electrical panel needs upgrading — get three before deciding.
Worth reading before you buy
Regional estimates generated 2026-08-22 from Google Solar API rooftop samples across 19 Colorado cities, and average Colorado electricity rates. Not a quote and not financial or tax advice.