Plug-In Solar in Michigan
Michigan's plug-in solar bill would cover kits up to 1,200 watts, but the bill sits in a House committee and isn't law yet.
- No plug-in solar law in Michigan yetBill HB 5764
- Utility rules are in effect.No cap on plug-in watts.
- That comes to 21.7 cents.For Jan through Aug 2026, EIA reports an average home price per kWh.
- $228 each year.In Detroit, an 800 W kit, before any utility solar fee.
Get your electric utility's approval before you connect in Michigan, and use an inverter with anti-islanding listed to UL 1741, or one listed to UL 3700.
Michigan Plug-In Bills
- HB 5764 (2026) was referred to a committee, the House Committee on Energy. It was introduced March 19, 2026, and nothing further appears beyond a reproduction of the text. Plug-in systems of up to 1,200 W would need no utility approval and no fee, but you'd have to give the utility notice within 30 days after you install one. Read the bill
The Rule in Michigan Right Now
Hooking up: A customer must properly interconnect any distributed generation project with the utility under MPSC interconnection standards before operating it.
Net metering: The old classic approach has been replaced by the Distributed Generation program, which bills on inflow-outflow net billing. Exports get credit at the outflow compensation rate. A system may be sized at up to 550 kW or at 110% of the customer's usage. The program cap is 10% of peak load.
Kit Savings in Michigan
PVWatts estimates that each 1 kW of panels in Detroit generates 1,310 kWh yearly. Michigan households pay 21.7 cents per kWh in 2026 so far. With an 800 W kit, these results depend on panel placement:
| Where the panels go | kWh a year | Saved a year |
|---|---|---|
| Tilted south on a stand | 1,048 | $228 |
| Upright on a railing | 660 | $144 |
| Facing east or west | 839 | $182 |
Detroit, Month by Month
- Jan58
- Feb72
- Mar89
- Apr102
- May109
- Jun110
- Jul117
- Aug110
- Sep99
- Oct79
- Nov59
- Dec46
kWh made by an 800 W kit, tilted south.
Michigan Kit Prices
| Kit | kWh a year | Saved a year | Pays back in | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Solar Supplier 1180 W EZ1 Kit | 1,546 | $336 | 2.7 years | $899 |
| Bright Saver 360 W Balcony Kit | 472 | $103 | 4.0 years | $414 |
| EcoFlow STREAM 800 W Kit | 1,048 | $228 | 4.8 years | $1,099 |
Tilted south, all used at home. Compare all kits
Things to Know in Michigan
- In 2024, Michigan's average home power rate was 19.30 cents/kWh, higher than many Midwest neighbors, and this helps a plug-in kit pay back.
- DTE Electric and Consumers Energy are the two investor-owned utilities that sell most residential power in the state.
Are you renting or using a Balcony?
Your landlord or HOA chooses the mount, while your electric utility has the final say on the hookup. Explore solar for apartments and balcony solar.
Key Utilities
- DTE Electric Company
- Consumers Energy
- Indiana Michigan Power
- City of Lansing (municipal utility)
Next Steps for You in Michigan
- Choose a kit size: in Detroit, a 400 W kit produces about 524 kWh each year, while a 1,200 W model produces about 1,572 kWh. Run yours.
- Keep an eye on HB 5764 during the next session. If the bill passes, you may not need that approval step any more.
Sources
- House Bill 5764 of 2026 (Michigan Legislature)
- Introduced HB 5764 text
- Distributed Generation (Michigan PSC)
- DSIRE: Michigan Net Metering / Distributed Generation
- EIA State Electricity Profile tables, Michigan 2024
- EIA Table 5.6.B, 2026 prices plus NREL PVWatts, Detroit
Overview of every state, or check a neighboring state: Ohio, Illinois, Indiana.