About ClearWatt

ClearWatt is an independent publication that explains home solar costs, incentives, financing, and equipment in plain English for U.S. homeowners. We are not a solar installer, lender, or manufacturer, and we do not sell leads to installers on a pay-per-click basis — our revenue comes from display advertising, which lets us write about tradeoffs (including reasons solar might not make sense for a given household) without a sales incentive to say yes.

How we research figures

Cost, incentive, and policy figures in our guides are sourced from primary references wherever possible, including:

• The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) for electricity pricing data
• The DSIRE database (NC Clean Energy Technology Center) for state-by-state incentive tracking
• IRS guidance and the text of federal legislation (e.g. H.R. 1 / the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) for tax credit rules
• NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) for technical and cost-trend data
• Manufacturer specification sheets for equipment comparisons

Where exact figures vary by location, utility, or installer, we say so explicitly rather than presenting a single national number as universal — solar economics are genuinely local.

Update policy

Policy pages (tax credits, incentives, net metering) are reviewed whenever we become aware of a legislative or regulatory change, and at minimum every quarter. Every article displays its original publish date and, if applicable, its last-updated date.

What this site is not

Nothing on ClearWatt is personalized financial, tax, or legal advice. Your actual costs, eligible incentives, and payback period depend on your roof, utility rate plan, local permitting, and personal tax situation — always confirm specifics with a licensed installer, tax professional, or your utility before signing a contract.