How this Castle Rock estimate works
- Annual production = system size × 1,598 kWh/kW planning yield.
- Retail-value ceiling = annual production × current Colorado residential electricity price.
- The value-capture control lets you haircut that ceiling for self-consumption/export economics.
- Simple payback = entered net installed cost ÷ modeled annual electricity value.
Source boundaries
1,598 kWh/kW-year planning benchmark based on CalcuRiver's Colorado representative-city PVWatts planning value; planning input, not a site-specific roof forecast. Roof orientation, shading, equipment, weather year and utility export compensation can materially change the result.
How Castle Rock compares with the state benchmark
Castle Rock currently uses the Colorado state/regional planning fallback for production and installed cost, so the displayed city and state benchmark values are the same. This page does not claim city-specific roof economics.
Production basis: PVWatts-based state planning benchmark · electricity benchmark: EIA 2026-07.
Castle Rock solar methodology
Production precision: Castle Rock currently uses the Colorado state/regional production benchmark; no unverified city-specific production uplift is applied.
Production basis
1,598 kWh/kW-year planning benchmark. This page explicitly uses the state/regional fallback rather than claiming site-specific city precision.
Installed-cost basis
2.68 $/W planning benchmark for this city/region; not an installer quote.
Electricity benchmark
17.00¢/kWh Colorado residential benchmark for 2026-07.
Utility boundary
The city page does not assume one electric utility. Use an available city × utility page when the service territory is verified.
- PVWatts-based state planning benchmark · production benchmark
- State/regional installed-cost benchmark · Sep 2026 · cost benchmark
- EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A · 2026-07 · state residential rate
Methodology: Solar utility model · CalcuRiver methodology.
Related Castle Rock and Colorado calculators
Why this solar estimate changes
Solar value is driven by local production, installed cost, the retail value of electricity you avoid buying, and the compensation you receive for exported energy. CalcuRiver does not assume export credits equal the retail rate unless that utility program is explicitly verified.
Core logic: self-used solar offsets retail purchases; exported solar is valued only under a verified export-compensation rule.
Methodology & source policy