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Solar Panels in Michigan: 2026 Cost, Incentives & Savings

Incentive snapshot: newer DTE and Consumers Energy projects are generally billed on an inflow/outflow distributed-generation tariff, not one statewide retail credit. This page does not quote the outflow rate.

Short answer

Michigan's 2025 EIA residential average was 20.03 cents per kWh. Our calculator uses that statewide figure, not a utility tariff. The rounded statewide sun resource we use elsewhere is 3.8 peak sun hours a day. City pages below name the usual utility.

National price range

Three published cases

An estimate for Michigan, not a local quote. Berkeley Lab medians for host-owned U.S. systems installed in 2025, shown on the 7.7 kW median size.

Cash
$3.00/W
$23,100
Subset classified as cash
Middle published case
$3.60/W
$27,720
All host-owned systems
Loan
$4.50/W
$34,650
Financed subset, before interest

Before incentives. A loan price here excludes interest. The federal residential credit under section 25D ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025. Berkeley Lab, U.S. Distributed Solar and Storage, August 2026 data update.

How to read Michigan

Michigan's 2025 EIA residential average was 20.03 cents per kWh, higher than Illinois or Ohio. The statewide sun figure we use is about 3.8 peak sun hours, among the lower values in our table. Cloudy winters and snow are the production story. DTE and Consumers Energy cover most of the lower peninsula and do not share one tariff.

Utilities

DTE Electric serves Detroit and much of southeast Michigan. Consumers Energy serves Grand Rapids, Lansing, Ann Arbor in large part, and much of the rest of the lower peninsula. Municipal utilities and cooperatives cover pockets. The bill is the map.

Export credits and tariffs

Michigan's old retail net metering program is not what most new DTE and Consumers Energy projects use. Newer projects are generally on a distributed generation tariff that meters inflow and outflow separately, and the outflow credit is often below the full retail price. The Michigan Public Service Commission posts the current program rules. A proposal should name the tariff and the credit. This page does not promise full retail credit for exports. Michigan does not have a Maryland-style in-state solar credit market that you should treat as a second income.

Climate and roofs

Lake-effect snow is heavier on the west side, around Grand Rapids and toward the lakeshore, than in some Detroit neighborhoods. Cloud cover is the annual issue everywhere in the lower peninsula. A south roof with a steep pitch sheds snow faster. Summer production carries the year.

Cities

Detroit
DTE in the city, with a wide mix of roof conditions.
Grand Rapids
Consumers Energy on the west side, with more lake-effect snow than Detroit.
Ann Arbor
DTE, a college town with older shaded streets and newer township roofs.
Lansing
A municipal utility in much of Lansing, with Consumers Energy in the surrounding area.
Warren
A DTE suburb north of Detroit, with more ranch roofs than the city.
Kalamazoo
Consumers Energy in southwest Michigan, between Grand Rapids and the Indiana line.

Michigan questions

Does Michigan still offer one-for-one net metering for a new system?

Do not assume it. New DTE and Consumers Energy projects are generally on an inflow/outflow distributed generation tariff. Ask for the current schedule.

Is the weak sun fatal?

It means you need more watts to offset the same usage, and the price has to fit a 20 cent average, not a desert fantasy. Some houses still pencil. Many do not.

American Solar Savings researches these numbers and can help you compare installers in our network. We do not install the system.

Sources

Figures on this site are cited so you can check them. They are not a quote for a house, and they go stale when the publisher updates them.

Installer reviews

Google reviews of Spartan Solar (SpartanX)

These are Google reviews of Spartan Solar, listed on Google as SpartanX. They are not reviews of American Solar Savings. We did not write them, edit them, or star them.

Google listing for SpartanX: 2699 Lee Rd #300, Winter Park, FL 32789. American Solar Savings does not publish a review profile of its own matching service.

Kaelum Flentroy
Google review
My experience with Spartan Solar has been outstanding. From the very beginning, everyone I worked with was professional, knowledgeable, and transparent. They took the time to explain the entire process and made sure I felt comfortable every step of the way. A special thank you to Aimin Mustafa, whose professionalism and positive presence made a great first impression. He was friendly, respectful, and made the experience enjoyable from the start. I also want to recognize Tore Grasso for his incredible knowledge, professionalism, and patience. He answered every question I had thoroughly and never made me feel rushed or pressured. It's clear he genuinely cares about educating customers and helping them make informed decisions. It's rare to find a company that combines excellent customer service with such a knowledgeable team. If you're considering solar, I highly recommend Spartan Solar. They have earned my trust, and I look forward to working with them throughout the installation process and beyond.
Frank Piscatello
Google review
Spartan employees were very knowledgeable and professional. They answered all my questions and addressed any concerns I had through the process. I would highly recommend Spartan Solar to anyone looking to add solar in their life.
John Johnson
Google review
I'd like to thank Scott Schwarz for taking the time to share Spartan X's personalized residential solar plan with my family and I last week. We were interested in learning more about the opportunity and he did a terrific job of explaining all the details. I really respect and appreciate Scott's courteous down to earth approach. He never made us feel pressured to make a decision right then and there. He was knowledgeable and very willing to listen to, and answer, questions. He's definitely a great Spartan X representative. Thanks again, Scott.

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The ZIP code selects the state average. The result stays labeled as an estimate.

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