Solar in Montana, city by city
Sunlight, a typical system and its payback for 22 Montana cities, each on the utility that serves the city center. The state averages about 1,256 kWh per kW a year on a south-facing roof; the plains and the Beaverhead valley do better, the northwest valleys worse.
| City | Sunlight (kWh/kW/yr) | Utility used | Typical system | Payback (as low as) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgrade | 1,247 | NorthWestern Energy | 8.7 kW · $21,486+ | 10.7 yrs |
| Big Timber | 1,309 | NorthWestern Energy (+1 nearby) | 8.3 kW · $20,737+ | 10.4 yrs |
| Billings | 1,306 | NorthWestern Energy (+1 nearby) | 8.3 kW · $20,737+ | 10.4 yrs |
| Bozeman | 1,237 | NorthWestern Energy | 8.7 kW · $21,486+ | 10.7 yrs |
| Butte | 1,259 | NorthWestern Energy | 8.6 kW · $21,300+ | 10.7 yrs |
| Cut Bank | 1,298 | NorthWestern Energy (+1 nearby) | 8.3 kW · $20,737+ | 10.4 yrs |
| Dillon | 1,386 | NorthWestern Energy (+1 nearby) | 7.8 kW · $19,796+ | 10 yrs |
| Glendive | 1,323 | Montana-Dakota Utilities | 8.2 kW · $20,546+ | 12.6 yrs |
| Great Falls | 1,284 | NorthWestern Energy (+1 nearby) | 8.4 kW · $20,926+ | 10.5 yrs |
| Hamilton | 1,251 | NorthWestern Energy (+1 nearby) | 8.6 kW · $21,300+ | 10.7 yrs |
| Havre | 1,254 | NorthWestern Energy (+1 nearby) | 8.6 kW · $21,300+ | 10.7 yrs |
| Helena | 1,244 | NorthWestern Energy (+1 nearby) | 8.7 kW · $21,486+ | 10.7 yrs |
| Kalispell | 1,151 | Flathead Electric Cooperative | 9.4 kW · $22,774+ | 23.7 yrs |
| Laurel | 1,303 | NorthWestern Energy (+1 nearby) | 8.3 kW · $20,737+ | 10.4 yrs |
| Lewistown | 1,222 | NorthWestern Energy (+1 nearby) | 8.8 kW · $21,669+ | 10.8 yrs |
| Livingston | 1,240 | NorthWestern Energy (+1 nearby) | 8.7 kW · $21,486+ | 10.7 yrs |
| Miles City | 1,321 | Montana-Dakota Utilities (+1 nearby) | 8.2 kW · $20,546+ | 12.6 yrs |
| Missoula | 1,159 | NorthWestern Energy (+1 nearby) | 9.3 kW · $22,591+ | 11.2 yrs |
| Polson | 1,163 | NorthWestern Energy (+1 nearby) | 9.3 kW · $22,591+ | 11.2 yrs |
| Red Lodge | 1,275 | NorthWestern Energy (+1 nearby) | 8.5 kW · $21,114+ | 10.6 yrs |
| Sidney | 1,301 | Montana-Dakota Utilities (+1 nearby) | 8.3 kW · $20,737+ | 12.7 yrs |
| Whitefish | 1,104 | Flathead Electric Cooperative | 9.8 kW · $23,496+ | 24.3 yrs |
Typical gas-heated home using 900 kWh a month; best-case figures, full range on each page. Where more than one utility serves a city, the figures use the one with the better payback and the page names the others. Sunlight from PVGIS/NSRDB for each city after a snow allowance; see methodology. Utilities by name.