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Solar panels in Cheyenne, WY

Roofs in Cheyenne get about 1,788 hours of usable sunlight a year — more than 80% of the cities we've measured. Here's what that means in cost, savings and payback, using real rooftop data rather than a national average.

1,788Sun hours / yr
18Panels typical
$14,364Cost after credit
11 yrPayback
Solar is reasonable in Cheyenne, not spectacular. A 11-year payback still beats most savings accounts over the panel's 25-year life, but it is not the slam dunk you'll see advertised.

Check your specific roof in Cheyenne → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.

What a typical Cheyenne solar system costs

A 18-panel system (7.2 kW) is about right for an average Cheyenne home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 10,943 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.

Estimated economics by system size in Cheyenne, at 12.1¢/kWh after the 30% federal tax credit
SystemSizekWh/yr Net costSaves/yrPayback
8 panels3.2 kW 4,863$6,384 $588 10.8 yrs
12 panels4.8 kW 7,295$9,576 $883 10.8 yrs
16 panels6.4 kW 9,727$12,768 $1,177 10.8 yrs
20 panels8 kW 12,158$15,960 $1,348 11.8 yrs
26 panels10.4 kW 15,806$20,748 $1,458 14.2 yrs

Notice that payback barely improves as systems get bigger, and eventually gets worse. That's because you can only save money on electricity you were going to buy anyway. Once a system covers your usage, extra panels mostly generate exports at a much lower rate.

Why Cheyenne gets 1,788 sun hours

That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Cheyenne — it already accounts for shading from trees, chimneys and neighbouring buildings, which is why it's lower than the raw "hours of daylight" figures you'll see elsewhere. An unusually open, unshaded roof in Cheyenne reaches about 1,866 hours, roughly 4% better than typical.

The numbers behind this page

Typical usable sunlight1,788 hrs/yr
Unshaded roof1,866 hrs/yr
Electricity rate (Wyoming avg)12.1¢/kWh
Installed cost assumed$2.85/W
Panel size assumed400 W
Federal tax credit30%
Typical household usage10,800 kWh/yr
Power used as generated35%
Paid for exported powerfull retail (net metering)
Rooftops sampled here10
Google imagery from2014

Nearby cities

Cheyenne solar questions

How many solar panels do I need in Cheyenne?

About 18 panels for an average home. Cheyenne roofs get 1,788 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 608 kWh annually.

Is solar worth it in Cheyenne?

At 12.1¢/kWh and 1,788 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 11 years and returns roughly $18,414 over 25 years. That is slower than the national average, so compare quotes carefully.

How much do solar panels cost in Cheyenne?

A 7.2 kW system costs about $20,520 before incentives and $14,364 after the 30% federal tax credit. Prices vary by installer, roof complexity and equipment.

Worth reading before you buy

Estimates only, generated 2026-08-22 from Google Solar API rooftop samples and average Wyoming electricity rates. Not a quote and not financial advice. Your roof, usage, utility plan and local incentives will change these numbers — get real quotes before buying.