Solar guides
What changed in 2026, what solar really costs, how to pay for it and how to choose panels and an installer. Written in plain English, with sources.
What it costs and what is still paid for
Solar incentives by state
State credits, rebates, SREC and SMART payments and what each utility pays for your solar, all with official sources.
See my state →Solar financing options
Cash, loans, leases, PPAs and PACE compared: who owns the system and who gets which incentive.
Compare options →Solar cost per watt
Retail vs installed prices, 2026 benchmarks and how to compare quotes fairly.
See the numbers →Solar vs grid electricity costs
How the long-term cost of solar compares with buying power from your utility.
Read the guide →How solar works and how to plan it
How solar works
Cells, inverters, net metering and what happens at night, explained simply.
Start here →How to use a solar calculator
Which inputs matter, how system size and payback are worked out, and what estimates leave out.
Read the guide →Choosing a solar installer
How to compare installers and quotes, which questions to ask and which red flags to avoid.
Read the guide → DirectorySolar installer directory
Unranked, sourced facts on installers in the US, UK and Australia, with links to the official licence registers.
Open the directory →Choosing solar panels
Solar panel types compared
PERC, TOPCon, heterojunction, back-contact, thin-film and flexible, with datasheet figures.
Compare types →Mono vs poly vs thin-film
The classic panel categories and where each one still makes sense.
Read the guide →Lifespan and warranty
Product vs performance warranties, yearly degradation and independent test results.
Read the guide →Perovskite and tandem tracker
Which "record efficiency" headlines are lab cells and which are products you can buy.
Check status →Power stations and solar charging
How to choose a power station
Capacity, output, LiFePO4 vs lithium-ion and how to compare value fairly.
Read the guide →What can a power station run?
Runtime by capacity for phones, laptops, fridges, CPAP machines and more.
See runtimes →Charging with solar panels
Panel sizing, peak sun hours, input limits and worked charging-time examples.
Read the guide →What the numbers say
Is solar more eco-friendly than gasoline?
What is true, what is false and what is not published, including solar power stations vs gasoline generators.
Read the guide → New · Oct 2026Solar vs gasoline in plain English
What g CO₂e, kWh and "whole life" mean, and what each number tells you in everyday terms.
Read the guide →Ready to put numbers on it?
Our state calculators use your utility's export rules and the incentives we could verify. The lease vs buy calculator compares ownership options under 2026 rules.