Solar in Forest Hills, MI
With Consumers Energy's electricity at about 21.7¢ per kWh and 1,268 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Forest Hills home today: about a 15.8-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 15.8 yrsMichigan: 16 yrs
- 25-year net
- $9,962after paying $12,180
- Sun
- 1,268kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 21.7¢21% above U.S. average
A typical Forest Hills home, by the numbers
| Utility | Consumers Energy |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 649 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3.1 kW, about 7 panels, 3,931 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $12,180 |
| First-year savings | $707 |
| Payback | 15.8 years |
| Exported power | 8.5¢/kWh (Consumers Energy) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.3% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Forest Hills
- Owner-occupied homes
- 94%
- Single-family detached
- 87%
- Median home value
- $499k
- Median year built
- 1988
- Population
- 28,695
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 75%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 6,376 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Forest Hills
Public installation records for Michigan don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Michigan.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Forest Hills
Is solar worth it in Forest Hills, MI?
For a typical home in Forest Hills, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 3.1 kW system costs about $12,180 after state incentives, saves about $707 in year one and pays back in about 15.8 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Forest Hills?
About 1,268 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 2% less than the Michigan average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Forest Hills?
Most homes in Forest Hills are served by Consumers Energy, at about 21.7¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Forest Hills?
A fair cash price is around $3.30 per watt before incentives, so about $12,180 for a 3.1 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Kentwood 15.8 yrs
- Grand Rapids 15.7 yrs
- Wyoming 15.6 yrs
- Walker 15.6 yrs
- Allendale 15.7 yrs
- Holland 15.6 yrs
- Norton Shores 15.7 yrs
- Muskegon 15.5 yrs
- All of Michigan
Data: PVWatts (National Laboratory of the Rockies), EIA-861 2025 adjusted to 2026, U.S. Census ACS, LBNL Tracking the Sun, state policy research as of October 2026.