Plain-English notes on solar.
What it actually costs. What installers won't tell you. When it's worth it. When it's not.
The federal residential solar tax credit ended December 31, 2025. Start with our flagship explainer — Solar economics in 2026: what changed and what it means for your roof — for the most useful one-page read on the new landscape. The five new pieces below cover the financing inversion, the binary "is it still worth it" question, the per-state comparison, and the lease/PPA decision through 2027.
Solar economics in 2026 — what changed and what it means for your roof
The most useful one-page explanation of what the One Big Beautiful Bill Act did to residential solar economics. §25D ended Dec 31, 2025; §48E lease/PPA credit available through 2027. With a 7-state comparison, three worked examples (CA, TX, NJ), and the 2027 sunset calendar fact.
Cash vs lease vs PPA after the federal credit ended
The 20-year cash > loan > lease > PPA hierarchy inverted on Jan 1, 2026. With §25D gone for owners but §48E still alive for lease/PPA through 2027, the right path now depends on bill, state, and ownership philosophy. Worked math for all four paths plus the §48E passthrough explained.
Is solar still worth it without the federal credit?
The honest binary answer: for the right roof in the right state, yes — but the right roof in 2026 is more specific than it used to be. Three buckets (works / lease / skip), three modeled scenarios across CA / TX / MA, and the three questions that decide your bucket.
State-by-state solar economics in 2026
Reference guide for fast scanning: jump to your state, see the retail rate, net-metering rule, state incentives, 2026 cash payback range, and lease/PPA recommendation. Per-state coverage for CA, NJ, MA, AZ, TX, NV, FL plus a side-by-side comparison table.
Lease and PPA in 2026 — when they make sense, when they don't
The "lease = trap" rule was right under the IRA — and not right by default in 2026. Honest read on when lease genuinely beats cash through 2027, the four red flags that are still traps, the three §48E passthrough patterns, and the resale/refinance considerations that don't change with the federal credit.
Panels-only or panels + battery?
Battery adds $10K–15K to the project. Sometimes it's worth it (California NEM 3.0, hurricane states, time-of-use markets). Sometimes it's not. Here's how to tell.
What installers won't tell you (and what to ask)
The five questions that turn a generic quote into a specific one. The clauses to negotiate out of the contract. The "savings" calculations that don't survive scrutiny.
Five questions before you sign anything
Equipment model numbers (not "tier-1 panels"). Production estimate in kWh/year. Workmanship warranty length. Itemized incentives. Cancellation clause. The five lines on a contract you can't skip.