Typical home: Close call

Solar in St. Clair Shores, MI

With DTE Electric's electricity at about 21.3¢ per kWh and 1,273 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical St. Clair Shores home today: about a 16.1-year payback.

Payback, typical home
16.1 yrsMichigan: 16 yrs
25-year net
$9,297after paying $11,900
Sun
1,273kWh per kW per year
Electricity
21.3¢18% above U.S. average

A typical St. Clair Shores home, by the numbers

UtilityDTE Electric
Electricity use623 kWh a month
Best-value system3 kW, about 7 panels, 3,818 kWh a year (51% of use)
Cost$11,900
First-year savings$680
Payback16.1 years
Exported power9¢/kWh (DTE Electric)

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

Solar production per kW in St. Clair Shores

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

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan65
Feb83
Mar109
Apr128
May141
Jun148
Jul147
Aug141
Sep121
Oct88
Nov60
Dec45

Homes in St. Clair Shores

Owner-occupied homes
83%
Single-family detached
82%
Median home value
$211k
Median year built
1957
Population
58,140

Census ACS 2020–2024.

Older housing stock. Many homes here were built before 1975. Have the roof and electrical panel checked before signing; a roof or panel upgrade can add thousands. Roof first?

Installers working in St. Clair Shores

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 St. Clair Shores

Is solar worth it in St. Clair Shores, MI?

For a typical home in St. Clair Shores, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $11,900 after state incentives, saves about $680 in year one and pays back in about 16.1 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.

How much solar power does a system produce in St. Clair Shores?

About 1,273 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 1% less than the Michigan average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.

Who is the electric utility in St. Clair Shores?

Most homes in St. Clair Shores are served by DTE Electric, at about 21.3¢ per kWh on average.

How much do solar panels cost in St. Clair Shores?

A fair cash price is around $3.30 per watt before incentives, so about $11,900 for a 3 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.