Utilities · Solar in Wisconsin
We Energies: how it credits the solar power you send to the grid
Monthly netting at retail for small systems; power left over at the end of the month is credited at a lower rate set by the utility.
Checked November 12, 2026. Utilities change these rules; check the current tariff before you sign.
How it works
Exported power earns roughly 75% of the retail price on average.
Wisconsin sets net metering utility by utility; like most Wisconsin utilities, We Energies, serving Milwaukee and eastern Wisconsin, nets usage monthly.
Surplus earns less than retail, so a system sized to winter use is better than one sized to summer output.
Changes to We Energies solar rates come through rate cases at the Wisconsin PSC.
What it means for a typical Wisconsin home
An average Wisconsin home uses about 8,004 kWh a year. A 5.5 kW system costs about $14,135 at the 2026 median price and makes about 7,337 kWh in its first year, of which we assume about 4,402 kWh goes out to the grid because no one is home to use it.
| First-year savings | Payback | 25-year savings, after the price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| With We Energies's credit | $1,128 | 14 years | $19,299 |
| If every exported kWh earned the full price | $1,327 | 10 years | $25,662 |
The difference, about $6,363 over 25 years, is what We Energies's rules cost a typical system compared with full net metering. Using more of the power at home, while the sun is up, closes some of that gap. Uses Wisconsin's average electricity price; We Energies's own prices may be higher or lower. Paid in cash, no federal credit, prices rising 2.5% a year, one inverter replacement.
Utilities in neighboring states
| Utility | State | Exported power | Credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| We Energies | Wisconsin | Monthly netting | About 75% of retail |
| ComEd | Illinois | Reduced credit (net billing) | About 50% of retail |
| Ameren Illinois | Illinois | Reduced credit (net billing) | About 50% of retail |
| DTE Energy | Michigan | Reduced credit (net billing) | 10.9¢ (est.) |
| Consumers Energy | Michigan | Reduced credit (net billing) | 12¢ (est.) |
| Xcel Energy (Minnesota) | Minnesota | Full credit (net metering) | Full retail |
All 55 utilities · Solar in Wisconsin · Lease and PPA terms by company
Sources: Solar Energy Nerds: net metering by state, 2026; U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), final 2025 data: Annual State Historical Spreadsheets (Form EIA-861, released October 7, 2026) and Electric Power Annual (October 21, 2026); EnergySage: median quoted price, first half of 2026.