Solar panels in Coeur d'Alene: what they cost and what they make
A typical Coeur d'Alene home needs 22 solar panels. They would make about 11,421 kWh a year and cost $23k to $35k before incentives. At today's prices they take more than 25 years to pay for themselves.
See panels on your own Coeur d'Alene roof
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What solar costs in Coeur d'Alene
At $3.00 a watt, the median price cash buyers pay nationally, a 9.2 kW system costs about $27,600. Quotes in Coeur d'Alene will usually fall between $23,000 and $34,500. Complex roofs, main-panel upgrades and financing push prices up.
The 30% federal tax credit no longer applies to systems homeowners buy. This estimate includes no state or utility incentives; check with your utility before you buy.
The number that decides whether solar pays in Coeur d'Alene is what your utility pays for the power you send back. Idaho Power moved to net billing: exports earn ~3–16¢ depending on season and time. Under full payback is about 18.1 yrs. Under net billing it is about 25+ yrs, because only the ~42% of solar a typical home uses as it is made saves the full retail price.
Cash purchase, prices rising 2.5% a year, panels losing 0.5% a year, $25/kW a year for upkeep. No federal credit for homeowner-owned systems.
Every way to pay for a 9.2 kW system in Coeur d'Alene
Change any number →| Way to pay | Day one | Monthly payment | Monthly net, year 1 | Ahead after 25 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay cash Full price on install day | $27,600 | $0 | +$54 | −$5,200 |
| Credit-union loan 8% APR, 20 years, no dealer fee | $0 | $231 | −$177 | −$33k |
| “1.99%” solar loan 1.99% APR, 25 years, 25% dealer fee | $0 | $146 | −$92 | −$21k |
| Lease $60/mo, +2.9%/yr | $0 | $60 | +$13 | $2,200 |
| Power purchase (PPA) 6.5¢/kWh, +2.9%/yr | $0 | $62 | +$11 | $3,100 |
Under net billing, the usual rule for new customers here, at 13.0¢/kWh rising 2.5% a year. The “1.99%” loan’s $6,900 dealer fee is included in its payments. Lease and PPA prices are typical offers, not quotes.
How much sunshine Coeur d'Alene gets
kWh per kW, 25° southJul is the best month for solar in Coeur d'Alene, and Dec the weakest: a Dec day makes 22% of a Jul day. A 6 kW system would make about 219 kWh in Dec and 1,009 kWh in Jul.
On June 21 the sun rises at 4:48 am and sets at 8:49 pm, 16 hours 0 minutes of daylight. On December 21 it is up from 7:33 am to 3:57 pm, just 8 hours 25 minutes.
Peak sun hours in Coeur d'Alene, month by month
| Month | Flat ground | Panels at 38° | kWh per kW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1.1 | 1.9 | 44 |
| Feb | 2.0 | 3.3 | 68 |
| Mar | 3.0 | 3.9 | 95 |
| Apr | 4.5 | 5.1 | 120 |
| May | 5.9 | 5.8 | 144 |
| Jun | 6.4 | 6.0 | 144 |
| Jul | 7.4 | 7.1 | 168 |
| Aug | 6.1 | 6.6 | 152 |
| Sep | 4.3 | 5.7 | 123 |
| Oct | 2.6 | 4.1 | 92 |
| Nov | 1.3 | 2.3 | 50 |
| Dec | 0.8 | 1.6 | 37 |
| Year | 3.8 | 4.5 | 1,236 |
A peak sun hour is one hour of sunlight at 1,000 W per m². Why sites disagree.
The best angle and direction for panels in Coeur d'Alene
| Roof faces (6/12 pitch) | Output vs south | kWh per kW |
|---|---|---|
| South | 100% | 1,236 |
| Southeast | 95% | 1,174 |
| Southwest | 95% | 1,174 |
| East | 83% | 1,026 |
| West | 82% | 1,014 |
| North | 60% | 742 |
Face panels south and tilt them 38° for the most energy over a year. East and west roofs keep about 83% of that. A north-facing roof keeps 60%, which is rarely worth the money. Try other angles.
Where the sun goes over Coeur d'Alene
The noon sun is lower in winter, which is why the best winter tilt (67°) is steeper than the best summer tilt (18°).
Coeur d'Alene's homes
Coeur d'Alene has 23,963 households. 59.5% own their home, and 12,890 of those owners live in single-family houses, the kind of home that usually gets rooftop solar.
The median home here was built in 1994. Many roofs that age are due for replacement. Replace the roof first, then add solar: taking panels off and putting them back later costs thousands.
41.3% of homes heat with electricity and 54.5% with gas. If you switch to a heat pump or an electric car, plan for more panels or leave room on the roof.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates.
If the power goes out in Coeur d'Alene
Solar panels alone shut off in a blackout. Add a battery and they keep going. One Tesla Powerwall 3 (13.5 kWh) running a fridge, freezer, furnace fan, lights, Wi-Fi, TV and microwave (6.9 kWh a day):
Change the appliances, the battery and the weather in the battery calculator.
Questions people ask about solar in Coeur d'Alene
How much do solar panels cost in Coeur d'Alene?
A 9.2 kW system — enough for the average Idaho home — costs about $23,000 to $34,500 before incentives, based on $2.50–$3.75 per watt. The 30% federal credit no longer applies to systems homeowners buy.
How many solar panels does a house in Coeur d'Alene need?
About 22 panels of 420 watts for a home using 944 kWh a month, the Idaho average. Each kilowatt of panels here makes about 1,236 kWh a year on a south-facing roof.
Is solar worth it in Coeur d'Alene?
Over 25 years, solar power here costs about 12.4¢ per kWh, against 13.0¢ from the grid today. Payback is about 18.1 yrs if your utility credits exported power at the full retail rate, and 25+ yrs if it pays about 30% of retail. Most new customers in Idaho are on the lower rate.
How many peak sun hours does Coeur d'Alene get?
4.5 a day on panels tilted to 38°, and 3.8 on flat ground. The best month is Jul; the weakest is Dec.
What is the best angle for solar panels in Coeur d'Alene?
38° for the most energy over a year, facing south. 67° is best in winter and 18° in summer. On a normal pitched roof, anything within 15° of 38° gives you about 95% of the maximum.
How long would a home battery last in a Coeur d'Alene power outage?
A Tesla Powerwall 3 running a fridge, freezer, furnace fan, lights, Wi-Fi, TV and microwave (6.9 kWh a day) lasts about 43 hours with no sun. With 7 kW of solar to recharge it, it gets through a three-day outage even in overcast January.
Solar near Coeur d'Alene
| City | Miles | kWh per kW | Sun hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spokane Valley, WA | 20 | 1,271 | 4.5 |
| Spokane, WA | 30 | 1,274 | 4.5 |
| Missoula, MT | 142 | 1,295 | 4.6 |
| Pasco, WA | 148 | 1,409 | 5.0 |
| Kennewick, WA | 153 | 1,409 | 5.0 |
Cities with the same sunshine as Coeur d'Alene
These far-away cities get almost exactly as much solar energy per panel.
- Reading, PA 1,261 kWh per kW
- Manchester, NH 1,260 kWh per kW
- Kenosha, WI 1,263 kWh per kW
Snow: NASA records about 29 cm of snow on the ground here in an average January. Covered panels make little until it slides off, and these figures (like PVWatts') don't subtract that.
Sources: NASA POWER 2001–2020 monthly climatology (grid cell 32 km from Coeur d'Alene's Census point), our PV model (within 1.6% of NLR PVWatts® on average), U.S. EIA prices and use, U.S. Census 2025 population estimates and ACS 2020–2024. Estimates for an average home, not a site survey. How we calculate.