Solar Guides
Plain-language answers to the questions that decide whether home solar pays off in 2026, using the same data as our city estimates.
Is Solar Worth It in 2026 Without the Federal Tax Credit?
The 30% federal tax credit for buying home solar is gone for systems installed in 2026 and later. Solar can still pay off well, but the margin for error is smaller, and where you live matters more than ever.
Net Metering vs Net Billing: What Your Solar Exports Are Worth
The rules for power your panels send back to the grid can matter as much as how much sun you get. Here is how net metering and net billing differ, what each state pays, and how to make the most of either.
Are Solar Batteries Worth It? When Home Storage Pays Off
More than a third of new home solar systems now include a battery. Whether one pays for itself depends almost entirely on how your utility credits exported power — and on how much you value keeping the lights on in an outage.
Solar Lease vs Buying in 2026: Which Saves More Now?
The end of the homeowner solar tax credit changed the math between buying panels and leasing them. Here is how the four ways to pay for solar compare in 2026, and the contract terms that decide whether a lease is a good deal.
How to Read a Solar Quote (and Spot a Bad One)
Two quotes for the same roof can differ by $10,000 or more. These are the numbers to pull out of every solar quote, how to check them against independent data, and the warning signs that a quote is selling optimism.
Plug-In Balcony Solar: Which States Allow It and What It Saves
Small solar kits that plug into a wall outlet are common in Germany and are now being legalized across the US. Here is where they're allowed, what they can realistically save, and what to know before buying one.