How Solar Saves Ottawa County Families Thousands — While Building a Stronger Community

“Ottawa County has a real opportunity to save money, protect our environment, and strengthen our community by investing in solar power.” — Jesse Kellum, Holland

Localyst staff

Oct 7, 2025

Oct 7, 2025

Across Ottawa County, residents like Jesse are thinking about the future — not just for the planet, but for their families and their wallets. As energy costs climb and power outages become more common, local solar and battery storage are giving Michigan families something rare: control, stability, and savings.

Powering Homes, Not Just Hopes

The average household in Ottawa County spends more than $2,000 a year on electricity, according to recent U.S. Energy Information Administration data for Michigan’s residential sector (EIA, 2024).

By installing solar panels, a typical Michigan homeowner can cut those costs significantly and often save tens of thousands of dollars over the life of the system, depending on energy use and installation size .

When paired with home battery storage, those savings come with something even more valuable: resilience.
A Stanford study found that most U.S. households can save money and weather blackouts with solar plus storage .

Imagine your lights staying on during a storm when the rest of the block goes dark. That’s not the future — it’s already happening for families across the state.

“It’s Necessary for the Next Generation”

“It is necessary for the future of the next generation.”
 — Shelly DeVries, Holland Township

For Shelly, who earned her degree in Environmental Planning from GVSU in her sixties, solar isn’t just about bills — it’s about responsibility. Like many Ottawa residents, she sees local clean energy as an investment in her grandchildren’s future.

Solar energy means cleaner air, fewer health impacts from fossil fuels, and a more reliable local grid that will serve Ottawa County families for decades to come.

Incentives That Make It Possible

For families ready to make the switch, Michigan offers a range of programs and incentives that make solar more affordable than ever:

  • 30% Federal Tax Credit: The IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit covers 30% of installation costs for solar and battery systems installed through 2032 .

  • Sales Tax Exemption: Michigan exempts residential solar systems from the state’s 6% sales tax .

  • PACE Program (Property Assessed Clean Energy): Michigan law authorizes municipalities to create PACE financing programs, allowing businesses, farms, and nonprofits to install solar with no upfront cost and repay through energy savings .

(Note: Some Michigan PACE programs focus on commercial and agricultural properties rather than single-family homes; eligibility varies by county.)

Together, these programs can reduce upfront expenses dramatically — often covering around one-third of total costs and shortening the payback period to less than a decade for many households.

Resilience: Power When It Matters Most

Paired with modern battery storage systems, solar homes in Ottawa County can store excess energy during the day and use it at night or during outages.

That means energy independence — especially when the grid is strained during heat waves or storms.

NREL researchers confirm that solar-plus-storage systems improve reliability and help communities withstand grid disruptions while lowering overall electricity costs .

And at a community level, every solar roof and storage unit reduces pressure on the local grid, keeping power more stable and affordable for everyone.

Keeping Ottawa’s Energy Dollars Here

Every solar project — whether it’s a rooftop system or a larger community array — helps keep energy dollars in Ottawa County.

Instead of sending money to distant utilities or out-of-state fuel suppliers, solar keeps economic benefits local:

  • Jobs for installers and electricians

  • Revenue for schools and public services

  • Savings for homeowners and farmers

The U.S. Department of Energy highlights these local economic benefits as among the most consistent advantages of distributed solar power.

Local clean energy means local strength.

As more Ottawa residents and businesses choose solar, we’re building not just cleaner power — but a stronger, more resilient community rooted in independence and pride.

Ready to help shape Ottawa County’s clean-energy future?
 👉 Take our 1-minute community benefit survey and share where you’d like to see clean-energy investment go.

Sources

  1. EnergySage, Average Solar Savings by State (2024), based on EIA data.

  2. Stanford University Energy Science & Engineering, “Most U.S. households can save money and weather blackouts with solar plus storage,” May 2024.

  3. IRS, Residential Clean Energy Credit (Form 5695), 2024.

  4. Michigan Department of Treasury, Sales Tax Exemption for Alternative Energy Property, 2024.

  5. Michigan Act 270 of 2010; Lean & Green Michigan Program Manual, 2025.

  6. NREL, Solar-Plus-Storage Analysis, 2024.

DOE, Solar Power in Your Community: Guidebook, 2023.

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