Solar
What solar really costs in 2026 — after the federal residential tax credit (Section 25D) expired. Honest payback math, lease vs. buy, and system sizing, with free calculators that show their work.
The 30% federal residential solar credit expired on December 31, 2025, so cash and loan buyers now get $0 in federal incentives — a change that reshapes payback math in every state. The calculators below estimate price, production, and break-even in your browser; the guides explain the trade-offs from first research to signing a contract.
Calculators
Free, no-email estimates computed in your browser from per-state data — with every assumption listed.
- Solar Panel Cost CalculatorStart here
Estimate solar system size, price, and payback with accurate post-25D tax logic. Analyze your actual roof via satellite.
- Solar Panel Sizing Calculator
How many solar panels do you need? Size a system from your electricity use and local sun hours.
- Solar Payback & Savings Calculator
When does solar break even? See payback period and 25-year savings against rising power prices.
Solar guides
Evergreen explainers grouped by topic and ordered from “just researching” to “ready to buy.”
Solar in 2026 — Life After the Tax Credit
3What changed when the 30% federal residential solar credit (Section 25D) expired on December 31, 2025 — and whether solar still pays off in 2026.
Solar Panel Costs & Pricing
1What solar costs in 2026 by system size, state, and equipment — with the math behind every number.
Lease vs. Buy & Financing
1Cash, loan, lease, or PPA — how each path changes who claims the tax credit and what you actually pay.
Batteries & Storage
1Whether a home battery is worth it in 2026, especially under NEM 3.0-style export rates.
Net Metering & State Policy
1How your state credits the energy you export — the biggest swing factor in solar payback.
How Solar Works
2Plain-English explainers on panels, inverters, and how production actually adds up.
Equipment Comparisons
2Panel and inverter types compared on cost and performance.
SOLAR DATA UPDATED JUNE 30, 2026