Solar Quotes in Idaho
State income tax deduction
- Under Idaho Code 63-3022C, you can deduct 40% of the cost of an alternative energy device (such as solar) at your Idaho residence in the year it's placed in service, then 20% a year for the next three years. The deduction can't exceed $5,000 in any one tax year. Source: https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title63/t63ch30/sect63-3022c/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
Idaho Power: net billing for new residential systems (Schedule 6)
- Schedule 6 has been closed to new net energy metering applications since December 21, 2019. Systems that aren't legacy systems use Net Billing, with exports credited at the Export Credit Rate. Legacy status ends in December 2045. Source: https://docs.idahopower.com/pdfs/aboutus/ratesregulatory/tariffs/313.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Residential generation facilities can be up to 25 kW. Source: same (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Export Credit Rate (sheet effective January 1, 2026, per IPUC Order No. 36892):
- Summer (June 1–September 30): 15.6836¢/kWh on-peak (3–11 p.m. Monday–Saturday, except holidays) and 3.3920¢/kWh off-peak.
- Non-summer: 2.9019¢/kWh at all hours.
- Source: same (accessed 2026-10-20)
- If your export credit is larger than your monthly charges, the difference carries forward as a dollar Financial Credit. Source: same (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Date-sensitive: the IPUC updates the Export Credit Rate under its approved method. Check the current sheet before you sign.
A note on the federal tax credit
The federal residential clean energy credit (25D) doesn't apply to expenditures made after December 31, 2025. The IRS treats an expenditure as made when installation is completed. Source: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/faqs-for-modification-of-sections-25c-25d-25e-30c-30d-45l-45w-and-179d-under-public-law-119-21-139-stat-72-july-4-2025-commonly-known-as-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-obbb (accessed 2026-10-20). This page isn't tax advice.
Is solar worth it in Idaho?
It depends on your bill, roof and utility rules. Here is an estimate for a home with a $150 monthly electric bill and a south-facing, unshaded roof, before any incentives:
- Residential electricity averaged an estimated 12.96¢/kWh in Idaho (January–July 2026), below the U.S. average of 18.19¢ (49 of 51, highest first). Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Small rooftop systems in Idaho produced an estimated 1,655 kWh per kW of panels in 2024 (2024 small-scale solar generation divided by average 2023–2024 small-scale capacity). Source: EIA Electric Power Annual 2024, Tables 3.21 and 4.7.B (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Estimated system size: 6.4–8.6 kW, producing about 12,413 kWh a year (estimated).
- Estimated installed cost: $22,500–$39,000 before incentives, using $3.00–$5.20 per watt. Source: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (2024 installed prices, 20th–80th percentile; accessed 2026-10-20)
- Estimated simple payback: 12–29 years. Savings depend on how your utility credits exported energy (see above).
Estimates only, based on public data and simple assumptions. Actual production, cost, and savings vary by home, utility, rate plan, and installer. Not a quote, and not a guarantee of savings. Ask your installer about any state, local, or utility incentives that apply. State and local programs: DSIRE.
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