How we handle your information.

The Solar Brief ("we", "us", "our") is an independent residential solar information and matchmaking service operating across the United States. This policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. We've tried to write it in plain English.

Last updated: 3 May 2026.

What we collect

We collect information you give us when you interact with our website or chat:

• Roof and bill details you share with our AI advisor Marcus — ZIP code, average monthly electric bill, roof age and orientation, shading concerns, what you want from solar, finance preference, and timeline.
• Contact details you submit through the contact form at the end of the chat — name, email, phone number.
• Conversation transcripts from your chat with Marcus, stored to improve our service and to allow the matched installer to pick up the case with full context.
• Technical information automatically logged when you visit — IP address, browser type, device type, pages viewed, referring URL. We use this only in aggregate to understand how the site is used.

How we use it

We use your information to:

• Build a case summary based on what you told the chat.
• Match you to a vetted solar partner in our network whose service area, finance options, and tier fit your situation.
• Pass your case summary and contact details to that matched solar partner so they can follow up directly.
• Refine our chat and matching system over time. We may review past conversations to improve quality.
• If you opt in: send occasional follow-ups about state-level incentive changes, new installers in your area, or our 2026 Buyer's Guide. You can opt out anytime.

We do not show advertising on our site. We share your contact details only with the matched solar partner you have consented to receive contact from. We may share your case summary with our partner network (a residential solar lead-routing platform) in order to identify and dispatch the right partner for your situation.

Who we share it with

To match you to installers, we share your case summary and contact details with:

• The matched solar partner in our network — typically one vetted, NABCEP-certified installer for your area and configuration. They are licensed contractors who have agreed to handle homeowner data appropriately under our partner network's terms.
• Service providers we use to run the site — hosting (Vercel), email (transactional providers), conversation logging (Vercel Blob storage), lead routing (Make.com / similar). They process data on our behalf and don't use it for their own purposes.
• The AI backend (Anthropic). Your chat messages are sent to Anthropic's Claude API in real time so the assistant can reply. Anthropic does not retain prompts beyond what's required to deliver the service.

Phone calls and text messages (TCPA)

When you submit your phone number through our contact form, you consent to be contacted by your matched solar partner (a licensed installer) by phone, text message, or email about your specific solar inquiry. This is not a marketing list — it is contact about the case you submitted. You can opt out of further contact at any time by telling the partner directly or by emailing hello@thesolarbrief.com. The Solar Brief itself does not call or text you for marketing purposes.

How long we keep it

We keep your case details and contact information for as long as our relationship with you is active, plus a reasonable period afterwards (typically up to 5 years) for repeat-customer service, warranty claim assistance, and accounting. Anonymous technical / analytics data may be kept indefinitely.

If you'd like us to delete your information, email hello@thesolarbrief.com and we'll do it within 30 days.

Your rights — including state-specific rights

If you live in California (CCPA / CPRA), New Jersey, Massachusetts, or any other state with a comprehensive privacy law, you have the right to:

• Know what personal information we collect about you and how it is used.
• Access a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate personal information.
• Delete personal information we hold about you, subject to legal retention requirements.
• Opt out of any sale or sharing of personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. (We do not engage in either, but we are stating this for completeness.)
• Non-discrimination — we will not deny you services or charge a different price for exercising your privacy rights.

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@thesolarbrief.com. We'll respond within 30 days. If you are submitting a request through an authorized agent, we may ask for verification.

Cookies

We use a small number of cookies to keep the site running smoothly — for example, to remember your selected language between page loads. We do not use third-party advertising or behavioral-tracking cookies.

Children

The Solar Brief is intended for adults considering solar for a home they own. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe we have inadvertently done so, contact us and we will delete it.

Changes to this policy

If we make significant changes to this policy, we will post the new version here with an updated "last updated" date and, where appropriate, notify customers we have an active relationship with.

Contact

Questions about this policy or how we handle your information?

The Solar Brief
hello@thesolarbrief.com
San Francisco, CA

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