Typical home: Close call

Solar in Kentwood, MI

With Consumers Energy's electricity at about 21.7¢ per kWh and 1,251 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Kentwood home today: about a 15.8-year payback.

Payback, typical home
15.8 yrsMichigan: 16 yrs
25-year net
$9,979after paying $12,180
Sun
1,251kWh per kW per year
Electricity
21.7¢21% above U.S. average

A typical Kentwood home, by the numbers

UtilityConsumers Energy
Electricity use649 kWh a month
Best-value system3.1 kW, about 7 panels, 3,879 kWh a year (50% of use)
Cost$12,180
First-year savings$705
Payback15.8 years
Exported power8.5¢/kWh (Consumers Energy)

Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.3% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.

Solar production per kW in Kentwood

kWh per kW each month, south-facing at 20° tilt. PVWatts v8 with local typical-year weather.

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan59
Feb71
Mar107
Apr130
May136
Jun149
Jul154
Aug139
Sep116
Oct81
Nov58
Dec52

Homes in Kentwood

Owner-occupied homes
61%
Single-family detached
48%
Median home value
$268k
Median year built
1983
Population
54,296
Roofs suitable for solar†
84%

Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 11,856 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).

Installers working in Kentwood

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 Kentwood

Is solar worth it in Kentwood, MI?

For a typical home in Kentwood, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 3.1 kW system costs about $12,180 after state incentives, saves about $705 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 Kentwood?

About 1,251 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 3% less than the Michigan average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.

Who is the electric utility in Kentwood?

Most homes in Kentwood are served by Consumers Energy, at about 21.7¢ per kWh on average.

How much do solar panels cost in Kentwood?

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

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.