Editorial Policy

Last updated: July 28, 2026

The standard every article is held to

Every claim about a cost, an incentive, or a policy detail on this site is expected to trace back to a primary source: a federal or state agency (EIA, NREL, DSIRE, IRS, energy.gov), legislative text, a utility's published rate schedule, or a manufacturer's own documentation — not a secondary summary of one. Where a figure genuinely varies by location or can't be verified to a specific source, we say so explicitly and give a range instead of presenting a single national number as universal. See About & Methodology for the full list of sources we draw from.

Sources and dating

Articles that cite specific figures include a "Sources" section listing what was consulted and when. Every article displays its original publish date and, when it has been substantively revised, a "Last updated" date — both are real dates tied to actual edits, not cosmetic.

What we don't do

• We don't present a single generic figure as a fact for "most states" without naming which states or citing a source for that claim.
• We don't repeat a disclaimer in every section of an article — one clear disclaimer, placed where it matters, is more honest than a dozen that train readers to skim past it.
• We don't accept payment in exchange for favorable coverage of a product, installer, or program. See our Advertising & Monetization Disclosure.

Corrections

If you find an error — a stale figure, a broken source link, a state law that's changed — tell us at Contact. We fix confirmed errors promptly and note the revision with an updated "Last updated" date on the affected article.