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Updated: Dec 1, 2024, 4:44am
Reviewed By
| EditorMichigan is a legitimate mover and shaker in the world of solar, with astronomical growth throughout the past decade. All told, there are over 200 solar companies in the state. It’s easy to see why. Michigan gets plenty of sun, even when you take into account those long-lasting winters.
While the state doesn’t offer traditional net metering, there is a similar program in place that helps cover ongoing power production costs. Here are the best solar companies in Michigan to help you join the solar movement.
The Forbes Home team is committed to bringing you independent, unbiased ratings and information. We use data and expert advice to inform all of our content. Plus, our advisory board of licensed professionals fact-checks and reviews our content for accuracy and relevancy. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and the solar companies methodology for the ratings below.
Featured Partners
1
Green Home Systems
BBB Grade
Not accredited
Financing Options
Full purchase and loan
Number of States Covered
21
2
Blue Raven Solar
BBB
A+
Financing Options
$0 upfront for 18 months
Number of States Covered
21
3
Momentum Solar
BBB Grade
A+
Financing Options
Purchase, loan
Number of States Covered
10
Key Takeaways
Out of all 26 installation companies we reviewed, we narrowed down a list of six top solar panel installation companies in Michigan. These companies stood out for their customer satisfaction, positive reviews, and efficient panel installation.
The solar installers Tesla and Blue Raven Solar top our best solar companies in Michigan list. Tesla scored 4.6 out of 5 stars when reviewed against our methodology and is our pick for best availability. Blue Raven Solar scored 4.3 out of 5 stars when reviewed against our methodology, with our pick as best for customer satisfaction.
| COMPANY | FORBES HOME RATING | BEST FOR | WARRANTY OPTIONS | BBB RATING | LEARN MORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 4.6    | Best for Availability | 25-year panel performance warranty and 10-year comprehensive warranty | NR | From Participating Partners
| |
| 4.3 | Best for Customer Satisfaction | 25-year performance warranty, 10-year workmanship warranty, two-year production guarantee | A+ | From Participating Partners
| |
| 4.2  | Best Solar Equipment | 25-year comprehensive protection program, 90% production guarantee | A+ | From Participating Partners
| |
| 4.0 | Best Local Service | 25-year production warranties and five-year workman warranties | A+ | From Participating Partners
| |
| 4.0 | Best for Commercial Clients | 25-year comprehensive manufacture and 10-year labor/ workmanship warranty on roof and electrical | A+ | From Participating Partners
|
Best Availability
Best Availability
Tesla
(coverage varies by zip code)
We recommend Tesla for customers looking for a known brand with wide availability in Michigan and just about anywhere else. The company is certainly a known entity and has been in the solar energy game for almost 20 years, not to mention its prevalence in the electric vehicle industry. Despite the brand recognition, Tesla still offers affordable solar options and will price-match competitors. The company also makes it easy to customize products to suit the specific needs of Michigan residents.
Learn more: Tesla review
Tesla is recognizable as a major company in the tech industry, and it also offers solar panel installations across the country–including in Michigan. We picked Tesla because of its competitive pricing, experience in the industry, and unique products.
Why We Like It
We like Tesla because it doesn’t just sell retrofitted solar panels, but it also sells solar roofs. These are roofing tiles that harness solar energy. It’s also easy to customize Tesla’s solar panel system and mix-and-match products.
What We Don’t Like
If you purchase solar panels from Tesla, you’ll need to hire a third-party company to install the system at your home. This outsourcing can impact the customer service experience. While other companies in the industry have 25-year comprehensive warranties, Tesla’s is only 10 years.
Who It’s Best For
If you’re redoing your roof or building anew, Tesla’s solar roofing is a stand-out in the industry. And, if you’re looking for competitive pricing, you’ll like what Tesla has on offer.
Tesla offers a useful app to monitor system performance, which is always nice. It’s also a regular innovator in the solar industry. The company’s tech-heavy solar roofs and proprietary Powerwall battery are both well-regarded by consumers.
The company does price match other companies (on a price per watt basis) if you can provide a lower quote within 14 days of receiving a bid. As for payments, Tesla offers financing options, in addition to a leasing program. It also accepts cash.
Customers are quick to praise Tesla products, particularly its Powerwall battery and its line of solar roofs. The customer service usually gets dinged, with many people complaining that Tesla wasn’t particularly helpful in the case of an outage or a similar issue.
Best Customer Satisfaction
Best Customer Satisfaction
Blue Raven Solar
Blue Raven Solar is easily our pick for best customer service. When it comes to solar, you really need an open line of communication with the company, as the equipment can be finicky. Luckily, Blue Raven has been offering top-tier customer service since 2014. It’s easy to reach a real person at every stage of the process, from planning to long-term maintenance. The company offers a 25-year warranty on equipment and a two-year power production guarantee. In other words, if your system is sluggish, Blue Raven will upgrade it for free.
Learn more: Blue Raven Solar review
Blue Raven Solar is our customer satisfaction pick nationally, and the same holds true with its Michigan operations. The overall positive customer reviews reflect Blue Raven Solar’s top solar services. It has unique financing options, a beneficial Refer Your Friend program and offers free installations also with 18 months of free service (all while still benefiting from the Federal Solar Tax Credit).
Why We Like It
We like Blue Raven Solar’s financing scheme called BluePower Plus+ which combines several financing options so customers can more easily afford panels. Plus, it recently extended its initial 18-month BluePower Plus+ to 5 years. The company’s Refer Your Friend program can be a huge supplement, as you’ll receive $500 for the first referral, $1,000 for the second, $1,500 for the third, and an extra $1,500 for every referral after.
What We Don’t Like
While Blue Raven Solar’s financing options are quite supportive, for customers who don’t want to own their panels, Blue Raven Solar doesn’t offer leases.
Who It’s Best For
Blue Raven Solar is a great pick for those who want supportive financial options and to go with a company with an excellent customer satisfaction track record.
Blue Raven offers two major payment plans. BluePower Plus+ lets consumers wait a full 18 months before having to put any money down, with a fixed monthly payment and interest rate for the entirety of the loan. The SmartStart program is similar, but customers pay a reduced monthly amount for the first 18 months. The company, however, prioritizes ownership, so there are no solar leases available.
Blue Raven sells high-grade panels and SunVault solar batteries that store solar energy for later use, such as during power outages or the winter months. Each installation also gets some Wi-Fi-capable Ecobee smart thermostats.
As expected, Michigan consumers rave about Blue Raven’s customer service, with special attention paid to quick response times for queries. The monitoring app also gets shout-outs from happy customers. Some people have expressed disappointment with slow installation processes and the performance of the panels.
Best Solar Equipment
Best Solar Equipment
Palmetto Solar
We picked Palmetto Solar for having the best solar equipment and the biggest range of equipment to pick from. There’s a reason why the company has become such a major player in a short time frame, as Palmetto opened its doors in 2010. It specializes in ultra-efficient Hanwha Q Cells monocrystalline black anodized aluminum solar panels, in addition to offering a diverse range of solar inverters and modules. The vast majority of the available panels surpass 20% efficiency rates.
Learn more: Palmetto Solar review
Palmetto Solar has a wide selection of high-quality solar panels, inverters and systems, allowing customers to tailor their solar system to their needs and budget. Palmetto Solar also has its own monitoring systems with a basic, free and essential plan at a monthly cost. Palmetto Solar was our national pick for best solar equipment, so it easily takes the category for Michigan too.
Why We Like It
Palmetto Solar has a range of high-efficiency and wattage panels from several manufacturers. The company also is known for its responsive customer service. We like Palmetto Solar’s app, which makes it easy for users to pay bills, track solar energy production and consumption, as well as contact customer service all on a personalized dashboard.
What We Don’t Like
We don’t like that Palmetto charges a monthly cost— however low—for active monitoring. Palmetto also has a more limited warranty than other industry counterparts and may still charge for certain maintenance and repair services in the terms and conditions.
Who It’s Best For
Palmetto Solar is best for Michigan homeowners looking to curate a customized solar panel system and want more equipment options to choose from.
As mentioned, Palmetto sells equipment by many of the big-name manufacturers, including Hanwha Q Cells and Canadian Solar. It also sells microinverters and related gear. The company also takes care of all required permits and will jump through legal hurdles on your behalf.
As for payments, there are multiple financing options available, from solar loans to cash payments. Palmetto offers both solar leases and PPA agreements, for those who are hesitant to outright buy expensive equipment.
Palmetto Solar reviews are a fairly mixed bag with some customers leaving complaints about performance issues and road blocks with installation. However, there are plenty of other reviews that praise the company’s sales team as well as counteract negative reviews by mentioning positive experiences with installation and panel performance.
Best Local Service
Best Local Service
Michigan Solar Solutions
We chose Michigan Solar Solutions as the best for local service. This is a company that’s been serving Michigan residential and commercial clients since 2007, which is a long time in the solar world. To that end, it specializes in modular systems that are custom-built to fit the unique needs of state residents. MSS sells and installs a diverse array of products, beyond panels, including batteries, inverters and chargers.
Michigan Solar Solutions has installed thousands of solar projects across the state, using American-made products with lengthy warranties for a local business. Michigan Solar Solutions understands the needs of Michigan state residents and installs other products like batteries and wall chargers.
Why We Like It
We like that Michigan Solar Solutions also services commercial clients. It uses satellite imaging and electric bill readings to create proposals with personalized details for Michigan residents.
What We Don’t Like
It doesn’t have any leasing options, so customers have to buy the solar panels. Customers will also need to use a third-party app to monitor their panels.
Who It’s Best For
Michigan Solar Solutions is best for homeowners who are in the market to buy a solar panel. Those who want to support a locally owned business can do just this with a well-established name that’s been in the industry for 17 years.
Michigan Solar Solutions specializes in the sale and installation of solar panels and related equipment. It often encourages a modular approach, so consumers can add to systems when they feel ready. MSS handles both commercial and residential installations, repairs and ongoing maintenance.
Your payment options are a bit limited here. MSS doesn’t offer a solar lease of any kind, encouraging ownership instead. It has, however, partnered up with a local lender called Michigan Saves, which helps clients get solar loans. Of course, it also accepts upfront payments.
Michigan Solar Solutions has just a few reviews on the BBB and Yelp, but it has over 200 reviews on Google as of this writing. Reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with customers mentioning friendly crews and quick and efficient installation. Of the very few negative reviews, customers mention issues with batteries and installation hiccups.
Best for Commercial Clients
Best for Commercial Clients
North Coast Solar
We recommend North Coast Solar for Michigan-based commercial entities looking to make the jump to solar. The company handles both residential and commercial clients, but it also specializes in larger-than-average generators and complex multi-panel setups that are better suited for business owners. As the name suggests, the company primarily services the north coast, as it’s located right in Davison.
With Michigan’s growing solar sector, we picked North Coast Solar as the best for local businesses because of its ability to do both complex and customized solar system setups and maintain positive customer satisfaction.
Why We Like It
We like the fact that North Coast Solar also offers services for ground mounts and generator installations. It also boasts excellent customer reviews. The company also has highly comprehensive warranty offerings that are on par with many of the industry giants.
What We Don’t Like
North Coast doesn’t have any leasing options or a dedicated monitoring app for owners to track their panels’ performance.
Who It’s Best For
North Coast Solar is a great option for Michigan businesses who want to go green and have a say in customizing their solar system. It’s also a great choice for Michigan homeowners seeking a ground mount or looking to purchase a generator.
North Coast Solar specializes in the sale and installation of solar pane systems, including batteries and generators. The company also has a dedicated arm for commercial clients and can install solar roofs and ground mounts.
The company accepts upfront payments, of course, but has also partnered with national lenders to make solar loans. However, it doesn’t offer leases of any kind .
North Coast Solar has a fairly small number of customer reviews online from what we can tell—under 100 between the BBB, Google and Yelp as of this writing. However, reviews are very positive. Customers rave about excellent service and the company’s approachable staff, with many people praising techs for not trying to up-sell them or force a sale. People also say it’s easy to get a hold of a tech, should something go wrong.
The solar job market in Michigan is rapidly growing. As the demand for solar increases, more installers are entering the market. That gives homeowners more options, but also requires more judiciousness when finding the best solar panel installation company for you. Here are a few guidelines for finding a good solar company in Michigan.
Power Your Home With Solar
Find a network of trusted installers for your solar system, solar panels and electricity needs. Find a solar panel installer today!
Solar panel installation is a big deal, so you should be absolutely certain you’ve chosen the best professional for your specific needs. There are some points worth considering as you gather quotes, and some red flags to be on the lookout for.
After factoring in the 30% federal tax credit for materials and installation costs, the average price to install solar panels in Michigan is $2.64 per watt. Most homeowners in Michigan can offset their energy needs with a system that is between 5 kW and 10 kW. That translates to $13,200 to $26,400 for the solar panels.
| SOLAR SYSTEM SIZE | AVERAGE ANNUAL SYSTEM OUTPUT* (KWH) | AVERAGE COST BEFORE FEDERAL TAX CREDIT | AVERAGE COST AFTER FEDERAL TAX CREDIT (30%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6kW | 8,000 – 10,000 | $19,110 | $13,377 |
| 8kW | 10,500 – 13,300 | $25,480 | $17,836 |
| 10kW | 13,300 – 16,700 | $31,850 | $22,295 |
| 12kW | 16,000 – 20,000 | $38,220 | $26,754 |
To make the most of your investment, consider the available solar incentives that are available—including rebates, tax credits and net metering.
| INCENTIVE | DESCRIPTION | TYPE | OCCURRENCE |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Federal Solar Tax Credit | A 30% federal income tax credit for solar panel installation | Nonrefundable Tax Credit | One Time |
| #2 Michigan Saves Home Energy Loan Program | Loan for residential green upgrades | Loan | Once per eligible project |
| #3 Property Tax Exemption | Increased property value of solar panels is exempt from property taxes | Tax exemption | Annually |
| #4 Net metering/Distributed Generation Program | Some utility companies offer traditional net metering but the state also offers a similar program | Energy credits | Ongoing |
Michigan residents who purchase solar panels are eligible for the federal solar tax credit, which grants a 30% credit based on the cost of the installed solar panels for the following tax season. This is the most attractive incentive for installing solar in most places—and Michigan is no exception. For example, if your fully activated solar panels cost $20,000 to install in 2024, you can lower your tax bill by $6,000 next spring.
Although not mandated by the state, many utility companies in Michigan support net metering. If yours does, you can earn credits in exchange for excess energy produced by your solar panels. Those credits can be applied to future electricity bills when your solar panels don’t cover your household’s needs and you need to pull from the grid.
This is Michigan’s scaled-down version of net metering. You sell excess energy generated back to the utility company which turns into credits that pay for the aforementioned power supply portion of the bill.
State-funded Michigan solar incentives are currently limited. The most notable program is the Michigan Saves Home Energy Loan Program, which connects homeowners with lenders who offer low rates for energy-efficient home improvements, including the installation of solar panels. The state also offers a property tax exemption, excusing Michigan homeowners from increases in property tax bills that are solely from increased home values due to solar.
Compare Quotes From Top-rated Solar Panel Installers
Select a State To Get Started With Your No Commitment, Free Estimate
Installing a solar panel system is a serious financial undertaking, so most people want to know if it’ll pay off in the long run. Short answer? Yes, solar panels are worth it in Michigan for a number of reasons. Let’s get into why panels are a good idea for Michigan residents.
Looking For Hassle-Free Solar Installation
Find a network of trusted installers for solar system, solar panels and electricity needs. Find a solar panel installer today!
| MICHIGAN SOLAR SAVINGS: CALCULATING THE BREAK EVEN POINT | |
|---|---|
| Average Cost of 6kW Solar System w/Installation | $19,110 |
| Michigan Incentives (30%) | $5,733 |
| Estimated System Cost (inc. Incentives) | $13,377 |
| Break Even Period | 11 years |
| 20-Year Savings | $12,960 |
| 25-Year Savings | $20,160 |
Compare Quotes From Top-rated Solar Panel Installers
Free, No-commitment Estimates
According to a survey by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), there were around 3.3 million households in the United States with solar panels installed as of 2022. Michigan solar companies confirm an upward trend and the state ranked 15th in the nation regarding solar system adoption rates in 2023. All told, there are over 200 solar companies in the state, so business is booming.
Forbes Home surveyed more than 2,000 people in 2023 to gauge customer satisfaction levels when it comes to solar panels. In a survey, we found that nearly 90% of consumers were happy with their decision to install a solar system. As for the Midwest, regional survey results indicate that around 6% of homeowners currently have a solar system installed, but 56% of respondents say they are in the process of installing panels or plan on doing so in the near future. Here’s how all of that regional data breaks down.
Local Solar Companies By City
To determine the best solar company ranking, the Forbes Home editorial team analyzed 26 major companies, with each company’s star rating determined by evaluating a variety of metrics, including years in business, equipment options, app and customer reviews and support, nationwide availability, price and warranty, product specifications and features.
All figures and facts were accurate at the time of first publication.
You can find out more about how Forbes Home rates solar companies in our detailed methodology page.
Going solar not only helps save on energy bills, to the tune of $24,000 throughout the lifetime of the system, but can also actually increase your home’s value. Michigan residents can expect a slight uptick of around 4% in a home’s value once you install a solar panel system. This isn’t earth-shattering, but those percentage points add up. Of course, this depends on the status of the system.
Installing a solar panel system in Michigan costs anywhere from $13,200 to $18,600, depending on the size of the system and the power requirements of the home. That price range assumes a 5 kW installation and does not take into account the federal tax credit. This credit will reduce the overall cost by 30 percent. If you opt for a 10 kW system, the price range extends to $26,400.
Michigan ranks near the middle of our assessment for the best states for solar energy. A big part of that is the unchangeable fact that Michigan is prone to cloudy weather for the majority of the year. However, the state has a strong solar job market and a higher-than-average number of homes powered by solar.
Michigan does not have a dedicated solar tax program operating statewide. However, there are other incentives in place to encourage prospective customers. There’s a property tax exemption, which could lower or fully eliminate the tax depending on your specific circumstances. Beyond that, some cities offer tax credits on their own, so contact a regulatory agency. There’s also, of course, the federal tax credit of 30%.
True net metering is not mandated by Michigan, but there’s an official replacement program. The Distributed Generation Program is not universally beloved, as the savings are lessened when compared to true net metering. However, solar panel owners do get a credit for excess energy sent by their systems sent to the grid during the day. These credits cover the power supply portion of monthly energy bills. It’s not much, but it’s something. Additionally, some utility companies offer traditional net metering to Michigan residents.
Dr. Nafeesah Allen is a multilingual communications strategist and global real estate investor with nearly 15 years of experience. She began writing about home improvement and design over four years ago and specializes in content about multi-generational living, safety and accessibility. Her work has been featured in publications such as Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, BBC, Investopedia and more.
Having spent over 15 years writing about technology, Lawrence has turned his eye to remodeling, smart home services, maintenance and home repair projects. He now contributes DIY, informational and cost-guide content as a freelance writer and editor for several publications. Throughout his career, he has strived to distill complex topics down to their very essence in order to make them easily understandable to modern homeowners. Lawrence’s primary career goal involves sharing knowledge with an audience eager to put their DIY skills to the test.
Kristin is a deputy editor at Forbes Home and has nearly a decade of professional experience as a writer and editor. She's previously worked at sites like Talking Points Memo, Insider, Delish, Angi and HomeAdvisor. She has a passion for lifestyle topics and has extensive experience researching and reporting on topics that will help make your house a home.
