Learning Center

Solar learning center

Guides to help you understand solar costs, incentives, technology, and the process of going solar. Written to inform, not to sell, and updated for the 2026 reality after the federal Section 25D tax credit ended December 31, 2025.

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Solar Basics

Understand how solar works before evaluating installer quotes.

How does residential solar work?
Panels, inverters, net metering, battery storage, and what happens during a blackout. Covers IEEE 1547 anti-islanding behavior.

Cost & Financing

What solar actually costs in 2026 and how to pay for it after the federal credit ended.

How much do solar panels cost in 2026?
US average $2.58 per watt installed (EnergySage Q1 2026). State-by-state ranges, cost-per-watt benchmarks, and how to evaluate quotes.
Solar financing: cash, loan, lease, or PPA
The four ways to pay for solar in 2026, after Section 25D ended. Includes the dealer-fee pattern to watch for on solar loans.
Federal solar tax credit complete guide
The Section 25D residential credit ended December 31, 2025. What that means for cash, loan, and lease/PPA structures in 2026.
Solar financing complete guide (deeper dive)
Detailed comparison of cash, solar loans, leases, and PPAs. Includes the CFPB dealer-fee context and 2026 lifetime cost math.
Can I get solar with bad credit?
Credit score requirements by financing type, the minimum FICO scores most solar lenders accept, and the lease/PPA fallback path.

Net Metering & Incentives

Net metering policies and state incentives drive solar economics in 2026.

Net metering: state-by-state guide
Full 1:1 retail (CO, MA, MD), net billing (CA NEM 3.0, AZ RCP), deregulated REP buyback (TX), and the state-by-state structures.
Solar incentives by state
State tax credits, SREC markets, sales and property tax exemptions across 20+ states. Updated for the post-OBBBA landscape.

Battery Storage & Electrification

Solar pairs naturally with battery storage and home electrification. The economics changed in 2026.

Battery storage with solar
When batteries make sense, when they don't, and what NEM 3.0, time-of-use rates, and outage resilience change about the math.

Buying & Property Decisions

The non-financial questions homeowners ask before signing an installer contract.

How to choose a solar installer
NABCEP certification, workmanship warranty length, equipment selection. The 6 questions to ask every installer before signing.
Should you replace your roof before solar?
Roof age, remaining life, removal/reinstallation cost ($1,500-$3,500), and the decision matrix for when to do it together vs apart.

More guides coming soon

We have 14 additional guides covering battery storage, electrification, HOAs, renters, roof considerations, and home-buyer scenarios. They roll out over the coming weeks. In the meantime, you can compare installer quotes directly.