City of Zeeland and solar
City of Zeeland is a municipal utility serving about 6,058 homes in Michigan. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 10.5¢50% below Michigan average
- Typical bill
- $72686 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~86%Net billing (reduced export credit)
- Typical payback
- Never3.2 kW, cash
Export rules for City of Zeeland customers
Net billing (reduced export credit) (Michigan rule).
Michigan's IOUs use a 'distributed generation' inflow/outflow tariff: you save the full retail rate on solar you use directly, but power sent to the grid is credited only at roughly the power-supply portion of the rate (about 8-15 cents depending on rate/time).
Solar for a typical City of Zeeland home
| System | 3.2 kW (50% of 686 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $12,460 |
| First-year savings | $416 |
| Payback | never within 25 years |
| 25-year net | −$1,339 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 4
- Share of customers
- 0.1%
- Residential solar capacity
- 0 MW
- Residential customers
- 6,058
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about City of Zeeland and solar
Does City of Zeeland have net metering?
City of Zeeland follows Michigan's rules: Michigan's IOUs use a 'distributed generation' inflow/outflow tariff: you save the full retail rate on solar you use directly, but power sent to the grid is credited only at roughly the power-supply portion of the rate (about 8-15 cents depending on rate/time).
How much does electricity cost with City of Zeeland?
Residential customers paid an average of 10.0¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 10.5¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 686 kWh a month, a bill of about $72.
Is solar worth it with City of Zeeland?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 3.2 kW system costing about $12,460 does not pay back within 25 years, with −$1,339 net over 25 years.
How many City of Zeeland customers have solar?
About 4 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.1% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: City of Zeeland - (MI) (EIA ID 21158). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.