Solar Panels in Moscow, ID: Cost, Payback & Savings
A typical 9.2 kW home solar system in Moscow costs about $33,120 and doesn't pay for itself within 25 years, losing roughly $2,661 overall at Idaho's average electricity price of 13.0¢/kWh. Power you send back to the grid earns only about 5.0¢/kWh here, which is built into these numbers.
Monthly solar production in Moscow
Estimated output of a 9.2 kW south-facing roof system. Jul is the strongest month (1,653 kWh); Jan the weakest (366 kWh).
Solar production (kWh) Typical home use, 944 kWh/month
Solar payback calculator for Moscow
Pre-filled with Moscow's sunshine and Idaho's average electricity price. Enter your own bill and an installer's price per watt to see your payback.
Leave export credit blank where the utility offers full net metering. Where exports earn less, solar used at home as it's produced is worth the full price and the rest earns the export credit.
How Moscow compares
- Each kW of panels here produces about 1,265 kWh a year — 13% less than the Idaho median and 8% less than the US median city (1,371 kWh).
- Payback ranks #22 of 24 Idaho places we cover.
- Sunshine varies little across a state; electricity price, installed cost and how utilities credit exported power drive most of the difference between states.
Net metering, tax credits and incentives in 2026
Idaho pays less than retail for exported solar power. Under Idaho Power export credit rate, power you send to the grid earns about 5.0¢/kWh, against 13.0¢ for power you buy. We assume 40% of a no-battery system's output is used at home as it's produced (worth the full price) and the rest is exported, so each solar kWh is worth about 8.2¢. Using more of your solar yourself, by running appliances midday or adding a battery, raises that.
Idaho Power's export credit varies by season and hour (highest on summer evenings, a few cents at midday); about 5¢ is our blended estimate for a typical rooftop system. Rates reset each June. Source.
There is no federal tax credit for buying home solar installed in 2026. The 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, so the costs and paybacks on this page include no federal credit.
Idaho and local utilities may still offer rebates, performance payments, property-tax or sales-tax exemptions. Search the DSIRE incentives database for Idaho and ask installers which programs they apply for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is solar worth it in Moscow, ID?
For a typical home, savings do not repay the system within 25 years at today's prices. Over 25 years the estimated net loss is $2,661. Verdict: hard to justify on savings alone. Your own payback depends on your roof, your bill and the quotes you get.
How many solar panels do I need in Moscow, ID?
A home using 944 kWh a month (the Idaho average) needs about 23 panels of 400 W — a 9.2 kW system — to cover its annual use. Divide your own yearly kWh by 1,265 to get the kW you need.
How much do solar panels cost in Moscow, ID?
At 3.60 dollars per watt, a 9.2 kW system costs about $33,120 before any state or utility incentives. There is no federal tax credit for systems installed in 2026.
How much sun does Moscow get?
Moscow averages 4.5 peak sun hours per day, so each kilowatt of panels produces about 1,265 kWh a year.
Does Idaho have net metering?
Not full retail net metering. Under Idaho Power export credit rate, exported solar power earns about 5.0¢ per kWh, versus 13.0¢ for power bought from the grid. Solar you use at home as it's produced still saves the full price.
How much does electricity cost in Idaho?
Residential electricity in Idaho averages 13.0¢ per kWh, and a typical home uses 944 kWh a month (EIA).
Solar payback in nearby places
- Lewiston25+ yrs
- Lewiston Orchards25+ yrs
- Coeur d'Alene25+ yrs
- Post Falls25+ yrs
- Hayden25+ yrs
- Eagle23.9 yrs
- Caldwell24.3 yrs
- Meridian23.5 yrs