Editorial Team & Review Process

SolarHomeCompare publishes state-by-state guides on solar incentives, costs, and installer selection. Every page is reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy, clarity, and currency before publication.

Our Reviewers

Rae H., Editorial Reviewer

Rae leads editorial review at SolarHomeCompare. Her role is to verify that state-specific facts (incentive amounts, utility programs, payback estimates, tax credit eligibility) match current public sources, and to ensure each guide is written in plain English without industry jargon or misleading claims.

Rae cross-checks every state guide against:

• IRS published guidance on Section 25D and Section 48E
• The DSIRE database of state and federal renewable energy incentives
• SEIA state market data and installation figures
• NREL solar irradiance and cost benchmarks
• Individual state energy office and public utility filings

If a guide cannot be sourced or contains an estimate she cannot verify, it is held for revision before publication.

How We Research Solar Costs and Savings

Our state guides use publicly available data, not proprietary models. Specifically:

1. Average system cost is benchmarked against EnergySage and SEIA installed-cost-per-watt data for each state, adjusted for local labor and permitting costs.
2. Lifetime savings is calculated from 25-year electricity bill avoidance, using current utility rates with a conservative 0.5 percent annual rate increase, minus system cost and maintenance.
3. Payback period is the system cost divided by annual energy bill savings, expressed in years.
4. State incentives are sourced from DSIRE and verified against the issuing state agency or utility’s most recent published rate schedule.
5. Solar irradiance uses NREL’s National Solar Radiation Database for the state’s largest population center.

These are general estimates. Your home’s actual cost and savings depend on roof orientation, shading, panel efficiency, system size, utility rate plan, and installer pricing. We always recommend getting quotes from at least three local installers before committing.

Editorial Standards

• Independence: Our installer matching is based on local service area, licensing, and consumer reviews, not on commission rates. We are paid by some partner installers when a lead converts, but this does not affect our published rankings or recommendations.
• Accuracy: Every fact-based claim is sourced. If we cannot find a reliable source, we leave the claim out rather than estimate it.
• Currency: State pages are reviewed at least every six months, and sooner if a major federal or state policy change occurs (such as the 2025 repeal of Section 25D).
• Plain English: We write for homeowners, not industry professionals. If a guide uses a technical term, we define it.

Corrections Policy

If you spot an error on any state guide, please email us at [email protected]. We review correction requests within 5 business days and update the affected page with a note of the correction.

Contact

Insure Safely Group LLC
7901 4th St N STE 300
St. Petersburg, FL 33702
[email protected]