Powering Your Home with Solar Energy
Installing solar energy allows Fort Collins residents to generate clean, renewable electricity at their own homes—helping lower utility bills, increase property value and reduce environmental impact. Whether you're exploring solar for the first time or ready to install, Fort Collins Utilities offers rebates, resources and support to guide you through the process.
Solar Rebates for Fort Collins Residents
Over 5,000 residential customers in Fort Collins have solar PV systems, contributing more than 28 megawatts of generating capacity. This is equivalent to enough to power roughly 5,000 average homes at peak production.
- Fort Collins Utilities offers incentives to help residential customers install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and battery storage
- Incentives available for both single-family and multi-family homes
- Includes individual and shared energy systems
Solar Installation Process: Step-by-Step
Here’s what to expect when going solar with Fort Collins Utilities:
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Explore and Learn:
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Check out all the Getting Started, Incentives and Financing, Solar Resources, and FAQs tabs for helpful, unbiased information to guide your decisions.
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Review Your Financing Options:
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Get Contractor Estimates:
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Choose Your Contractor:
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Apply for Incentives & Permits:
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Installation and Inspections:
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Permission to Operate (PTO):
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Start Generating and Saving:
Is Rooftop Solar a Fit for My House?
Google’s Project Sunroof is a free tool that uses satellite imagery to estimate your home’s solar potential. It's a great starting point to see if your roof gets good sun exposure—ideally unshaded from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Try Project Sunroof– See your home's solar potential using Google Earth imagery.
Note: Project Sunroof estimates savings using national average rates, not Fort Collins Utilities rates, and its methodology isn’t transparent. For accurate savings and system sizing, connect with a Participating Solar Contractor.
Roof Condition Matters
If your roof is aging or due for replacement, consider upgrading it before installing solar. Removing and reinstalling panels later can be costly.
Learn about financing opportunities for roof upgrades and replacements through the Colorado Roof Repair Assistance Program
Efficiency First: The Smart Place to Start
Epic Homes Energy Assessment
Before going solar, schedule an Epic Homes energy assessment. You'll receive a personalized report with:
- Your home’s current energy performance
- Recommended upgrades
- Estimated costs and savings
Why start with efficiency?
Efficiency upgrades are often more affordable, increase home comfort, and deliver better long-term savings than jumping straight to solar.
Earn the Epic Certificate
Fort Collins Utilities offers the Epic Certificate to recognize homes with verified energy efficiency and solar upgrades—helping add value during resale.
Important: To qualify for the Epic Certificate, your energy assessment must be completed before solar installation so the certificate accurately reflects improvements and estimated energy savings.
Sizing Your Solar PV System
Sizing Your System
Solar system designers typically size your system to offset a portion of your home’s annual electricity use, not necessarily to cover every moment of energy demand.
- During sunny days, your system may produce more than you use.
- At night or on cloudy days, it will produce less than you use.
- Your home stays connected to the Fort Collins Utilities grid for consistent, reliable electricity year-round.
How to Choose the Right Size
Finding the ideal system size is a balance of your priorities:
- Budget: consider upfront cost, loan amount, and monthly payment.
- Energy goals: how much grid electricity you want to offset.
- Available space: unshaded roof or property area (for ground mount arrays).
System Size Limits
Fort Collins Utilities limits system size to:
- Customer-owned systems are limited to 12 kilowatts (kWh) or up to 200% of your home's average annual electric use (based on 24 months of electric use).
- Leased systems or third-party-owned systems are limited to the larger of: 7.2 kilowatts (kWh) or 120% of intended offset.
Don't Have 24 Months of Data?
If your home is new or you've recently moved in, we can estimate system size using similar home data or expected energy use. We also review requests for adjustments, such as EV charging or major appliance additions.
For customers without a load history, if the home was built before 2020 and has gas heat, 3 kWh/square feet per year will be used to estimate the annual electricity consumption based on the total conditioned floor space (referencing Larimer County records).
Share Your Energy Use with Contractors
Use the MyData Platform to securely share your energy usage history or utility bills with solar contractors for accurate system design.
Trees and Solar
Think Before You Cut: Trees and Solar
While optimizing sun exposure is important for solar performance, Fort Collins Utilities does not recommend removing healthy trees just to install solar panels.
Instead, work with experts to find the right balance between solar access and tree preservation.
What You Should Do
- Consult a licensed arborist: use an ISA-certified professional to ensure trees are trimmed safely and appropriately
- Check with the City's Forestry Department: they maintain a list of permitted arborists in Fort Collins
Questions? Contact forestry@fortcollins.gov
Why Trees Matter
Healthy trees offer big benefits for your home and the environment:
- Capture carbon and improve air quality
- Reduce cooling costs by up to 50%
- Provide shade and comfort
- Act as windbreaks in winter, lowering heating needs
- Conserve water by shading lawns and gardens
- Boost property value—by up to 20%
Learn More
Visit the City of Fort Collins Forestry Department page for arborist lists, tree care tips, and more.
2026 Solar and Battery Storage Incentives
| Equipment |
Rebate Incentive |
Maximum Incentive |
Minimum Required Size |
Solar
|
$300/kW-DC |
$1,500 |
0.5 kW |
| Battery |
$300/kWh capacity |
$6,000 |
6 kWh |
- Maximum for new system: $7,500
- Maximum for adding to existing system: $7,500
- 5 kW-DC of solar earns the maximum solar incentive.
- 20 kWh of usable battery capacity earns the maximum battery incentive.
Solar and Battery Incentive Eligibility Requirements
Incentive amounts are based on the system's installed design and may be reduced if expected performance falls below optimal due to orientation or shading.
To qualify for solar and battery incentives, the following requirements must be met:
- Customer Eligibility: The system owner must be a residential electric customer of Fort Collins Utilities.
- Approved Contractor: Systems must be sold and installed by a Participating Solar Contractor. Subcontracting outside the network is not permitted.
- Interconnection Compliance: All systems must meet Fort Collins Utilities’ Interconnection Standards.
- Equipment Standards: All equipment must be new, UL-listed, and appear on the CEC approved equipment list.
- Solar Shading Requirements
- If shading is present between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., a shading analysis must be submitted (your contractor can assist).
- Customers must commit to managing trees or other obstructions to minimize shading during peak sun hours (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.).
- Solar Performance Threshold: Incentives may be reduced if the system is modeled to produce less than 90% of optimal output.
- Battery Controls Program:
- Battery system must be programmed either for storing surplus solar energy to meet site loads or optimized to the Time-of-Day rate structure.
- Installation Timeline: The system must be installed within six months of receiving the rebate reservation letter or project approval for non-rebate projects.
Interconnection and Rebate Application Process
All distributed generation interconnection applications must be submitted through PowerClerk, Fort Collins Utilities’ online application platform. PowerClerk manages both interconnection and incentive requests for solar PV and battery storage systems.
Application Steps:
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Contractor Submission: Your solar contractor will submit the interconnection and rebate application, including all required documentation.
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Customer Acknowledgment: You’ll receive an email via DocuSign to review and sign
- Fort Collins Utilities' Interconnection Requirement Agreement
- The Renewable Energy Credit (REC) Contract
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Renewable Energy Credits (RECs): In exchange for the incentive, you agree to sell all the RECs generated by your solar PV system to Fort Collins Utilities for a period of 20 years.
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Incentive Payment: Once the system passes the final inspection by Fort Collins Utilities, a rebate check will be mailed to the applicant via U.S. mail approximately 4-6 weeks after final Utilities inspection.
Financing
Fort Collins Utilities offers the Epic Loan to help manage financing for home efficiency upgrades including residential solar and battery storage.
Visit the Epic Homes Loan Page
Loan Features:
- On-bill financing
- Covers up to 100% of eligible project costs
- Multiple project types supported with one loan
- No upfront payment
Loan Terms
- Vary from 3-15 years (customer chooses length of term)
- Interest rates as low as 5.25% APR
- Max loan amount available is $50,000
Eligibility
- Minimum FICO score of 640
- Good payment history for 6 months of Fort Collins Utilities account
Net Metering
When your solar panels make more electricity than you use, the extra energy goes back to the electric grid. Fort Collins Utilities gives you credit for that extra energy on your monthly bill—this is called net metering, and it's based on current residential rates.
Your utility bill only shows solar energy you didn't use right away. To see the total energy that your solar panels generate, you'll need to check your solar inverter application or ask your solar provider. Your electric meter only tracks the energy pulled from the grid and the excess solar energy returned.
Energy returned to the grid is credited based on the active Time of Day rate when energy was returned. For example, if your system returned energy at noon, that energy would be credited at the off-peak rate.
You can use your energy credits to lower other parts of your bill, and any unused credits roll over to the next month. The only way to store solar energy at home for later use is by installing a battery system.
Fort Collins Utilities recommends working with the members of the Participating Solar Contractor Network listed below. Contractors in the Network have committed to conducting their business according to a code of ethics and the Solar Energy Industries Association Solar Business Code.
Residential solar and battery incentives are only available to customers who work with active Participating Solar Contractors through purchasing and installation of their solar PV system. Customers are encouraged to solicit competitive bids from two or more contractors.
Are you a Solar Contractor interested in becoming part of the network or an existing contractor in need of additional resources? Visit the Solar Contractor Resources Page.
This list is updated periodically as contractors join or leave the network. Consult the Better Business Bureau and social media sites for additional consumer feedback.
Alt E Wind
Contact Information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Design
- Install
- Battery Install
Anchor Roofing and Solar
Contact Information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Design
- Install
- Battery Install
Apollo Energy
Contact Information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Design
- Install
- Battery Install
Blue Raven Solar
Contact Information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Install
- Battery Install
Bruce Stotts
Contact Information
Services
Colorado Solar Company
Contact Information
Services
DZ Renewables
Contact Information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Design
- Install
- Battery Install
Elevated Independent Energy
Contact Information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Design
- Install
- Battery Install
Independent Power
Contact Information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Design
- Install
- Battery Install
ION Solar
Contact Information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Design
- Install
- Battery Install
Klick Solar
Contact Information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Design
- Install
Namaste Solar
Contact Information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Design
- Install
- Battery Install
Next Energy Solar
Contact Information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Design
- Install
- Battery Install
Photon Brothers
Contact Information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Design
- Install
- Battery Install
ProGreen Energy
Contact Information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Design
- Install
- Battery Install
REenergizeCO
Contact Information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Design
- Install
- Battery Install
Sandbox Solar
Contact Information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Design
- Install
- Battery Install
Solar Power Pros
Contact Information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Design
- Install
- Battery Install
Suntalk
Contact Information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Design
- Install
- Battery Install
Tesla Energy Operations
Contact Information
- Visit website for contact information
Services
- Sales/Marketing
- Design
- Install
- Battery Install
The Participating Solar Contractor Network and listed resources are intended as a starting point for customers who do not have a prior relationship with a service provider or vendor. No warranty regarding the accuracy of the information, experience, quality of service, licensure, or proof of insurance or bonding is implied by listing a contractor in the Network. Under the City of Fort Collins Charter, Municipal Code, and City Manager’s Policies, the City is unable to recommend or endorse any individual contractor, without regard to those listed in the Network.
The following contractors are not active in the Participating Solar Contractor Network but can be engaged to develop solar PV projects. Customers working with these contractors are not eligible for Residential Solar Rebates, battery incentives or Epic Loans.
- Auric Solar
- Bello Solar Energy
- Total Solar Solutions
- Avolta
- 1Solar
Resources for Shopping
Looking to compare solar quotes or get help understanding your options?
These independent tools can help:
- EnergySage: An online marketplace where you can compare quotes from multiple vetted solar installers, side-by-side. Great for understanding pricing, equipment, and warranties
- SolarReviews.com: Offers consumer reviews, installer ratings, and educational content to help you make informed decisions about going solar.
Solar contractors will provide an SEIA purchase/lease disclosure with their proposal to support you in comparing to other quotes.
Questions to Ask Your Contractor
Interviewing Solar Contractors
When reviewing solar proposals, always work with a Participating Solar Contractor to qualify for the Residential Solar and Battery Storage incentives.
Before choosing a contractor, ask a few key questions to make sure you’re working with a reputable, experienced provider:
- How long have you been in business—and in Fort Collins specifically?
- Are you based locally?
- Do you install the systems yourself or use subcontractors?
- Will NABCEP-certified installers be on-site during installation?
- Can you provide recent customer references from Fort Collins?
- Do you offer a performance guarantee and workmanship warranty? For how long?
- How do you determine the right system size for my home?
- Is your quote a guaranteed total cost or just an estimate?
- Can you show the financial impact based on my actual on-peak and off-peak usage under Fort Collins’ net metering rules?
Tip
If a contractor shows up at your door, ask to see their City-issued solicitor ID badge that is required by the City.
You can also check contractor reviews on:
- Social media and neighborhood forums
Evaluating Solar Design Proposals
Comparing Solar Proposals
When reviewing proposals from different solar companies, keep in mind that system sizes and expected lifespans may vary. To make a fair comparison, look at:
In Fort Collins, typical solar installation costs (without battery storage) have recently ranged from $3,500 to $4,000 per kW.
Key Things to Look For:
- Warranties: What's covered for the equipment and installation?
- Performance guarantees: is the system guaranteed to produce a certain amount of energy?
- Ongoing support: Who handles maintenance, repairs, or warranty issues?
- Lease terms: If it's a leased system, check if it must be paid off when selling the home or if it can be transferred to the new owner
Don't hesitate to ask direct questions if anything is unclear. A good installer will help you understand every part of the proposal.
For Fort Collins Utilities customers, batteries can be added to an existing solar PV system, incorporated with a new solar PV system installation, or installed with no solar PV system. Incentives are only available for new battery system installations.
The Net Metering Rate applies to residential customers with battery storage.
Battery Storage Benefits
Take advantage of Time-of-Day pricing by charging during off-peak hours and discharging to meet energy loads, or export power to the grid during on-peak hours. This provides healthy cycling for the battery and optimizes financial benefits including:
- Using stored energy to avoid buying energy during on-peak hours.
- Using more solar generation on-site, selling less back to grid.
- Minimizing carbon footprint for electric consumption.
- Having energy security in case of grid outages.
- Enjoying energy resiliency for important electric loads.
Incentive Requirements
Battery incentives are available to Fort Collins Utilities residential electric customers proposing a compatible battery storage system permanently connected to the Fort Collins Utilities distribution grid. The battery system must also remain connected to the internet. The battery system must be programmed either for storing surplus solar energy to meet site loads or optimized to the Time-of-Day rate structure. There is no restriction on the minimum reserve margin setting for battery charge, or the temporary use of a ‘storm mode’ feature to reserve battery charge for a potential grid power outage.
Customers shall support Fort Collins Utilities in accessing battery inverter operation data for monitoring purposes.
How much will adding solar panels reduce my bill on Time-of-Day pricing?
Every home is different so your results may vary. A few things can affect your bill including:
- When you use energy (during high-demand "on peak" or low-demand "off-peak" hours)
- How much solar energy your systems produces
- Which direction your solar panels face
- What type of heating you use (electric or gas)
With Time-of-Day (TOD) pricing, energy costs more during on-peak hours and less during off-peak hours. If you have solar panels, you can earn bill credits for extra energy your system sends back to the grid. These credits are worth more if the energy is sent during on-peak hours - at least three times more than off-peak.
Here’s an example:
A typical Fort Collins home without solar uses about 7,700 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per year and uses gas for heating. If that home installs a 6-kilowatt solar system facing south, it could generate about 8,900 kWh—enough to cover 115% of their electricity use.
With solar, that customer’s average monthly bill could drop by over $50. Their total yearly bill could go from about $800 to just $165. They would still buy energy from the grid at times when their solar panels aren’t producing enough—usually at night.
Everyone can benefit from TOD pricing by using less energy during expensive on-peak times. But only customers with solar (or other renewable systems) can earn credits by sending extra energy back to the grid—especially during on-peak hours.
For full details, visit the TOD Pricing and TOD Pricing – Solar Customers pages.
How much money is saved by conserving energy and shifting use away from on-peak Time-of-Day hours?
How to Save with Solar and Time-of-Day (TOD) Pricing
All residential customers can save money by reducing how much electricity they use during expensive on-peak hours. But if you have a solar system or other renewable energy source, you can save even more.
When your solar panels produce more energy than your home needs—especially during on-peak hours—extra power is returned to the grid. You’ll earn credits at the higher on-peak rate, which increases your savings.
Learn more about time-of-day pricing
Ways to Reduce Your Energy Use and Costs
You can lower your bill by:
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Using less electricity overall
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Running appliances (like the dishwasher, washer, dryer) during off-peak hours, when electricity costs less
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Upgrading to high-efficiency equipment or appliances, like those with the ENERGY STAR® label
Example of Additional Savings
The graph below shows how a typical Fort Collins household with a 6-kW solar system can save even more by making small changes.
In this example, the customer:
These simple changes lead to an additional savings of $60 per year, or about $5 per month.
Does the direction my solar panels face affect how much I save with Time-of-Day Pricing?
Does the direction of your solar panels matter?
Yes! The amount of energy your solar system makes each year depends on which direction the panels face.
If the weather were always clear, solar panels facing south would produce the most energy over the year.
But in Fort Collins, we often have more clouds in the afternoon. Some people wonder if it’s better to point solar panels west, so they can produce more energy during on-peak hours, when electricity is more expensive under Time-of-Day (TOD) pricing.
Fort Collins Utilities looked into this question. Their analysis found that facing panels south (180 degrees) still gives you the most financial benefit, even under TOD pricing. South-facing panels produce more energy overall and offer the best value for most customers.
How would battery storage help reduce bills under Time-of-Day pricing?
How Battery Storage Can Help You Save
If you have a battery storage system with your solar panels, you can store the extra energy your panels make during off-peak hours (when electricity is cheaper). Energy stored in the battery can then be used or sent back to the grid during on-peak hours, when electricity is more expensive.
When you sell extra solar energy to the grid during off-peak hours, it’s worth about 6 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). But when you store that energy in a battery to use or sell during on-peak hours, it’s worth about 20 cents per kWh — more than three times as much!
Are do-it-yourself projects allowed and eligible for rebates?
Do-it-yourself projects are allowed, but are not eligible for rebates. Contact the Solar Team at Fort Collins Utilities via solar@fortcollins.gov to discuss your DIY project.
How do I calculate the size limit when adding to an existing solar system?
Thinking About Adding More Solar Panels?
If you already have a solar system and want to add more panels, please contact us before you talk with solar contractors or start designing the new system. We can help check how much solar you’re allowed to add based on the size limits.
To do this, we’ll need either a copy of your solar generation report from the last 12 months or can estimate how much energy your current system has generated. You can usually get this from your solar inverter or your contractor.
Here’s how we calculate your solar expansion limit using your energy data:
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First, we find how much solar energy you use directly at home by subtracting the energy you send back to the grid from the total solar energy produced.
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Then, we add that to the energy you get from the grid to find your total energy use.
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Finally, we calculate how much more solar you can add by subtracting your current system’s production up to the maximum limit based on equipment ownership.
To get the most accurate results, we compare solar and energy data over a 1-2 year period. This helps match your solar production reports with your utility billing cycles. Typically, we use 24 months of billing data to find your average yearly energy use.
When can I expect a full return on my residential solar investment?
Even with rebates and tax incentives, PV systems can take years to pay for themselves. Consult your solar contractor for a payback estimate.
Can I still apply for a rebate if my proposed site doesn't quite meet the program requirements for orientation and shading?
Applications may be accepted for systems that don't completely conform to performance guidelines at a prorated rebate level in order to account for the reduced performance. Fort Collins Utilities reserves the right to exclude systems that are likely to perform substantially below the rebate program guidelines.
What happens to the Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) for my PV system?
Fort Collins Utilities’ rebate includes the purchase of the Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) from your system. The City retires the RECs here, supporting compliance with Colorado’s Renewable Energy Standard as well as the community’s Our Climate Future Goals.
Will the rebate program be extended?
The program is intended to provide year-round access to rebate funding for all eligible applicants. We may adjust the rebate amount per customer as needed to provide funding stability.
What is Utilities' Net Metering Credit Refund Policy?
Oversizing solar PV systems can present a financial risk to the customer. While energy returned to the grid generates net metering credits, Fort Collins Utilities does not pay customers for accumulated credits on their account from solar generation unless all the following criteria are met:
- The net credit on the account exceeds $300 on March 1;
- The net metering account has been active for longer than 1 year; and
- The customer does not receive all standard services (electric, water, stormwater, wastewater) from Fort Collins Utilities. This is because any excess credits from electricity generation are applied toward other charges on that bill.
Can I receive a rebate for an addition to my existing solar PV system?
Customers who already have received a rebate on an existing solar installation are eligible to receive a second rebate for additional solar and battery storage at the same address.
Shared Energy Systems allow more people to benefit from solar, regardless of their income level, home ownership status or control over their roof. In 2022, Fort Collins Utilities started offering multi-family property renewable energy options so people who live in apartments, condos or townhomes, can benefit directly from solar energy.
What is a Shared Energy System?
A Shared Energy System is typically one solar photovoltaic (PV) system that provides power to multiple residential units. It can also include on-site battery storage. This PV system can generate benefits for residential accounts at one or more buildings within a given site.
When a PV system generates energy, residents receive net metering credits (money back) on their utility bill for energy sold back to the grid.
In Fort Collins, Shared Energy Systems can be installed on existing buildings or incorporated into new construction.
Solar Panel Sizing and Incentives
Shared Energy Systems provide an opportunity to enhance the value of your property, make your building more environmentally friendly and offer your residents an exciting amenity. It also helps the City of Fort Collins meet its bold climate goals and increase community resiliency.
Incentive eligibility and system sizing is based on the number of residential electric accounts benefitting from the system. Resident electric accounts must be within the boundary of the same development as the solar PV system.
Getting Connected to the Grid
All systems interconnected to Utilities’ network must comply with our Interconnection Standards. A special application form is required for Shared Energy Systems to record share distributions. While no capacity fee will be charged for setting the new dedicated production meter for a Shared Energy System, there is a new account application fee due.
Learn More
Interested to see if Shared Solar can work for your property?
Contact us at solar@fortcollins.gov to request guides to help you evaluate and plan your project.
