Michigan has one of the highest energy rates in the country. If you are a homeowner in Michigan, you’re saving more when you go solar. The high energy rates mean that you will be saving more for every kilowatt-hour that you don’t purchase from utilities by going solar.
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Introduction
Michigan is a great state to go solar as the state receives high amounts of sunlight over the year. The state averages four peak hours of sunlight per day. During the summer, the state can have at least six hours per day of the sun.
Michigan has more than 11,000 inland lakes hence the name the great lake state. The state of Michigan has maintained this natural beauty and aesthetic, and upholding its beauty is among the state’s goals.
This goal has prompted excellent solar innovations. Michigan has maintained its reputation for being a solar energy leader because of its progressive government that has enabled households to go solar through incentives and loan programs.
The initial investment of acquiring a solar-powered system and the savings that will be achieved depend on the photo-voltaic system’s capacity.
Things to consider when you are getting a solar system are your roof’s size and your yearly energy consumption. This will determine the capacity of kilowatts that you require. An ordinary home can get decent results using a 5 kW solar system.
A solar payback period refers to the amount of time a property owner will take to plow back initial investment through savings on electricity after investing in a solar-powered system. A 5kW solar system costs an average of $20,000 in Michigan. The average electricity price in Michigan is $0.14 per kilowatt-hour; this is higher than the national average. The average payback period is around 15-20 years for a 5 kW solar system.
Since the solar system starts generating electricity once it is installed, you begin to enjoy the benefits of free energy. Most solar panels come with a 25-year warranty, which means you don’t have to worry about any other costs after your initial purchase.
Going solar is a good investment in Michigan because every unit produced is worth more than the average price of electricity in the US.
To receive maximum benefits in terms of savings from going solar, it is best to acquire a solar system by paying cash upfront. There are other affordable options for people who can’t afford to pay cash upfront, you can opt for a solar loan or a lease.
It’s essential to familiarise yourself with the various policies that surround solar panels and solar systems installations. Most policies are centered on encouraging people to adopt solar energy instead of burning fossil fuels to obtain energy.
Here are the various solar panel laws in Michigan.
Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit
Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit is the most significant saving you will receive when you decide to go solar. This perk is also known as Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This tax credit is 26% of the initial cost of the solar system. This includes installation costs and labor. For a solar system that will cost you $20,000 to install, you are granted $5,200 in terms of a tax credit.
The tax credit means that you can deduct 26% from the taxes that you owe to the government. You can remove the whole amount on the taxes due for one year. If you don’t pay enough, you can deduct the amount in subsequent years till you are fully compensated.
Property Tax Exemption
Installing solar panels in Michigan can make the value of the property rise. On average, installing a solar PV increases the value of a house by $15,000. Property taxes are set depending on the value of homes and the property they are built-in.
When the value of a house increases, the property taxes to be paid also increases. The state of Michigan passed a law that exempts solar from being included in property taxes. This means that you will not pay any extra taxes for having a solar system installed in your house, which adds to the total savings you receive when you go solar.
Net Metering in Michigan
Net Metering allows users that have installed solar systems to continue being connected to the grid. When your solar panel produces more power than your household needs, the grid will adopt extra power to supply another load elsewhere. You receive solar credits for every amount of electricity that you send to the grid.
When your solar panel isn’t producing enough power, especially during the winter, or your house needs more power than your solar system can produce, you can get power from the grid. The solar credits earned will be used to offset your electricity bill.
However, the Michigan Public Service Commission removed full retail net metering in the state. Now customers receive credit for their solar power at the power supply component, minus transmission charges. This means that you will be credited half of the full retail for the power you send back to the grid.
You must size your solar system to cater to your household’s usage and have an onsite energy storage system.
If you plan to install solar energy in Michigan, you need to know about these laws and how they apply to you.
Map image by Wikimedia Commons User: TUBS / CC-BY-SA-3.0