Montana
Solar in Billings, Montana
A south-facing roof in Billings makes about 1,306 kWh per kW each year, 4% above the Montana average; a typical home's net-zero system here is about 8.3 kW, costs as low as $20,737 installed, and pays back in about 12 years on NorthWestern Energy rates.
See the numbers for your Billings address
At a glance
Typical gas-heated home, 900 kWh a month, best-case figures with the range shown. Sources.
Who sends your bill
At the center of Billings the service-territory layer shows NorthWestern Energy; Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative serves parts of the surrounding area. Boundaries are coarse at town edges, so your bill is the final word; the utility finder checks any address.
What the sun does in Billings
- A south-facing roof at a 30° pitch makes about 1,376 kWh per kW a year before snow and 1,306 after a 5% snow allowance, 4% above the Montana average.
- July is the best month at about 165 kWh per kW; December the worst at about 43. Net metering carries the summer surplus into winter, which is why the net-zero size and your utility’s bank reset month both matter.
- Roof direction and pitch change the yield by a quarter or more; the estimate reads your actual roof from satellite imagery and fills south-facing planes first.
- Electric heat roughly doubles a January bill compared with July, so a winter bill from an electrically heated house is annualized with a Montana heating profile rather than multiplied by twelve.
A typical Billings home: 900 kWh a month, gas heat
Valued at NorthWestern Energy rates (15.8¢/kWh energy); no federal credit for homes in 2026. Your roof, usage and heating change every number.
Figures use NorthWestern Energy, which gives the better payback of the utilities serving the Billings area (Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative: about 17 years). Your bill says which one you are on.
Questions Billings homeowners ask
- How much do solar panels cost in Billings?
- For a gas-heated home using about 900 kWh a month, a net-zero system of about 8.3 kW costs roughly $20,737 to $25,345 installed at current Montana cash prices, before any incentive. Larger homes and electric heat need bigger systems; your address gives a real figure in about a minute.
- How long does solar take to pay for itself in Billings?
- About 10.4 to 13.9 years for that typical home on NorthWestern Energy rates, assuming electricity prices rise 2.7% a year. NorthWestern Energy's own rules (fixed charge, net-metering credits) are built in. Figures use NorthWestern Energy, which gives the better payback of the utilities serving the Billings area (Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative: about 17 years). Your bill says which one you are on.
- Which utility serves Billings?
- At the city centre the service-territory layer shows NorthWestern Energy; Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative serves parts of the surrounding area. Boundaries are coarse at town edges, so your bill is the final word.
- Does solar work in Billings's winters?
- Yes, with a seasonal shape: July makes about 165 kWh per kW and December about 43, after a 5% allowance for snow cover. Net metering banks summer surplus against winter use, which is why the net-zero size and the bank's reset month both matter.
- What incentives apply in 2026?
- The 30% homeowner credit (Section 25D) ended for systems completed after December 31, 2025. Business-owned systems, including ranches and rental property, still qualify for the 30% investment credit and bonus depreciation when placed in service by the end of 2027; tax-exempt owners receive the 30% as cash. No Montana state credit. Not tax advice.
On the map
Nearby: Laurel, Red Lodge, Big Timber, Lewistown, Livingston, Bozeman. All Montana cities.
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from the documents and models below, with the date each was produced or last checked.
- Sunlight and monthly production for BillingsEffective October 31, 2026 · Checked October 31, 2026 · Read from the primary source
- NorthWestern Energy rates and net-metering rules (worked example)Effective October 15, 2026 · Checked November 1, 2026 · Read from the primary source
- Which utilities serve the areaChecked October 31, 2026 · Read from the primary source
- Installed cost, savings and paybackChecked November 1, 2026 · Read from the primary source
Spot an error? Email mtsolarestimate@gmail.com. How the estimate is built: methodology.
Your Billings address, your numbers
The estimate reads your roof, takes your real usage and applies your utility’s rules. About a minute, no contact details asked.