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Solar, in plain English.
Updates, insights, and honest guides on home solar, batteries, financing, and the policies that affect your bill. We publish new pieces regularly — start with the guides below, and check our Get Smart on Solar hub for the fundamentals.
Latest articles
Choosing an installer Installer vs. dealer: why it matters who actually installs your solar A lot of solar is sold by companies that never touch your roof. Here’s how to tell the difference — and why it affects your price, your quality, and who picks up the phone years later. Read article Owning your system Solar not producing? A homeowner’s troubleshooting checklist Low or zero production can be perfectly normal — or a sign something needs attention. Here’s how to tell the difference, what you can safely check yourself, and when to call a pro. Read article Illinois Illinois solar in 2026: what the end of net metering means for your bill ComEd and Ameren have moved past full retail net metering. Here’s the honest picture for Illinois homeowners in 2026 — and what still makes solar pay. Read article Owning your system Using the Tesla app for Powerwall and solar: a homeowner’s guide Your Tesla app is mission control for a Powerwall and solar system. Here’s how to read it, set it up the way you want, and get the most from it. Read article Solar economics Is solar still worth it in 2026 without the federal tax credit? The residential tax credit for owned systems is gone. That changes the math — but not always the answer. Here’s the honest version. Read article Financing Solar financing in 2026: prepaid lease vs. cash vs. lease/PPA With the residential credit gone for owned systems, how you pay for solar matters more than ever. Here’s how the three paths compare. Read article California NEM 3.0 in California: why solar-only systems need a battery California changed how it pays for exported solar. If you’re going solar under NEM 3.0, here’s what actually drives the return now. Read article Texas Texas grid outages and home battery backup: how it works Solar alone shuts off in an outage. Here’s how adding a battery keeps a Texas home running — and what it realistically covers. Read article Utah Net metering in Utah: Provo, Lehi, and Rocky Mountain Power Utah’s utilities don’t follow one rulebook. Here’s the honest, utility-by-utility picture for sizing solar right. Read article
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