The 50-state solar guide
Solar math before the sales call.
Start with your bill, see the system size, then compare every installer quote by $/W — calculators first, state rules second, no lead-gen.
Start with the question you actually have
Pick the calculator that matches your search: cost, panel count or break-even. Each one gives a clear next step before you call an installer.
Plan with your own numbers
Use the main solar calculator to enter your bill and utility assumptions. Review the model limits before comparing quotes.
Use the solar calculator with your bill, fixed charges, self-consumption and export-price assumptions. Utility tariffs are not automatically applied. Production charges may need a separate adjustment; this is a planning scenario, not guaranteed savings.
Open the solar planning calculatorFree solar calculators and buyer tools
Calculator-first pages for search traffic; quote and checklist tools for the moment a rep wants a signature.
Solar calculator
Bill, electric rate and quote price in — system size, panel count, gross cost and simple payback out. Built for high-intent calculator searches.
bill + quote→size + paybackHow many panels?
Turn monthly usage into panel count, roof area and system size with one honest rule-of-thumb model.
usage→panel countPayback calculator
Enter net cost, savings and annual changes — compare simple payback with year-by-year cash flow.
cost + savings→break-evenQuote scorecard
Compare up to three cash quotes by $/W and relative price differences. Match scope; price is not a quality grade.
3 quotes in→best $/W outSun look-up
ZIP in, measured 2024 sunshine out — a 12-month curve for your state, then a rough model of what a roof would make of it.
1 ZIP code→12-month curveIs solar right for me?
Ten questions, one scored verdict — the 60-second first-pass before you call an installer.
10 answers→a clear verdictBuyer checklist
A one-page, printable checklist of the questions and numbers worth having before you sign anything.
16 questions→signed without regretSREC income calculator
Certificate markets (SREC/TREC, SMART, Shines) by state — size your system, type today's price, see the 10-year income math.
price + size→10-year incomeAll 50 states, compared
Sortable, filterable table of all 50 states — measured sun, resource zone, facts depth and verification date in one view.
50 rows→any orderEV charging cost calculator
Miles, efficiency and electric rate in — monthly kWh, home charging cost and gasoline comparison out.
miles + rate→EV costSolar panels for EV charging
Estimate how many extra solar panels it takes to cover an EV's annual charging load at home.
EV miles→panels neededHome charger time estimator
Battery size, target charge and Level 1/2 power in — charging hours and daily miles recovered out.
battery + kW→hoursBattery size planner
Enter your bill and export-credit situation — see what battery size would actually cover, with honest economics.
bill + export→kWh sizedThe 50-state mosaic
Amber tiles: high sun resource · pale amber: moderate · navy: lower. Every tile opens a state guide.
How to use this site
Three steps, in the order that turns impressions into useful clicks.
- Calculate first. Use the solar calculator or panel count calculator before you call anyone.
- Check your state. Tariffs, incentives and export rules are local — open the 50-state hub.
- Quote smart. Compare installers on $/W and break-even, not marketing projections — run the quote scorecard.
From the guides
Plain-English guides for solar buyers, with source dates, review limits and practical questions to ask.
Federal residential solar tax credit: the 2025 cutoff
The IRS cutoff, earlier qualifying projects, eligible expenses and documents to keep before claiming a credit.
Guide 02Net metering vs net billing: read your utility tariff
Separate onsite use from exports, check enrollment dates and compare tariff-specific credits without assuming retail netting.
Guide 03How to compare solar quotes in dollars per watt
Use comparable cash prices and DC capacity; separate financing, storage and roof work before judging a quote.
Guide 04Batteries: when they earn, when they don't
Compare backup needs, storage losses and export-credit tradeoffs before buying a battery.
Guide 05Solar loans: what to avoid
Compare cash and financed prices, payment changes and tax-credit assumptions before signing.
Guide 06Roof condition before you sign
Roof inspections, removal costs, warranty responsibilities and tax limits before solar.
Guide 07Solar 101: from panels to your electricity meter
Understand DC and AC, kW and kWh, onsite use, exports and the limits of a rooftop production estimate.
Guide 08How many solar panels do I need?
Start with annual kWh, a site-specific production estimate and module wattage; treat sizing math as a planning screen.
Guide 09Your first solar bill: what to check
Match billing dates, imports, exports, fixed charges and credit balances to the tariff on your account.
Decisions & quick answers
The versus-frames and answer-first pages — built for the moments before the sales call.
X vs Y decisions
Loan vs lease, string vs micros, DIY vs pro, battery vs generator, and more — the honest frame for each pairing.
Answer firstHonest answers
Is solar worth it, how long panels last, whole-house math, winter performance, battery truth and panel-cleaning myths — the answer in the first paragraph.
The money pageCost per watt: price comparison
Compare dated cash quotes, included work and DC system size; no current market-price index is claimed.
Your citySolar in your city
Austin, Denver, Seattle — city guides on sourced state numbers, with the honest gap labels.