Five cornerstone resources built on the same data and assumptions as the calculators — written to be re-checked, not skimmed.
Guide 01 · 14 min read · updated 2026-08-21
National medians, per-watt math, equipment vs installed price, state variation, and the questions to ask before any quote makes sense.
$/W explainedGross vs netState variationEquipment shareFair-price benchmarks
Guide 02 · 12 min read · updated 2026-08-21
Three quotes can differ 20–30% for the same roof. Here is how to compare them fairly and what to demand from every installer.
$/W normalizationProduction claimsFinancing in quotesRed flagsQuestions to ask
Guide 03 · 13 min read · updated 2026-08-21
Cash, loan, lease and PPA all have very different 25-year costs. This is the math — including dealer fees — behind each path.
CashSolar loanDealer feesLeasePPA
Guide 04 · 11 min read · updated 2026-08-21
The 30% federal credit is gone for 2026 installations. Understand exactly what changed, what still applies, and how to verify state incentives.
§25D ended§48E commercialState incentivesBatteriesVerification
Guide 05 · 12 min read · updated 2026-08-21
A battery can cost $10k–$17k installed. When does it earn its keep, and when is it purely a resilience purchase?
Battery costsBackup valueTOU arbitrageExport policyPayback