The quick answer (updated for 2026)
Every figure on a SolarFY location page comes from a named primary source, and every estimate is computed from that data with the inputs shown. This is our solar data and methodology in the open: where our electricity rates, production figures, and incentive details come from, how we turn them into a payback and savings estimate for your area, how often we refresh them, and what an estimate can and cannot tell you. We publish this so you can check our work. The team and standards behind this method are on our editorial team page.
Where our solar numbers come from, the short version
Every figure on a location page traces to a named agency, model, or tariff, dated, and our computed estimates show their inputs. That is the whole answer to “where does SolarFY get its solar data”; the five sources below do the work, and the rest of this page shows exactly how we use each one.
- Rates come from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, shown in cents per kWh with the state, the utility where we have it, and the month the figure was current (EIA, as of June 2026).
- Production is modeled with NREL PVWatts, an estimate of annual kWh for your latitude and sun profile, never a guarantee for your specific roof (NREL PVWatts, as of June 2026).
- Incentives and net metering are checked against primary sources: state statutes and revenue departments, public utility commission dockets, and the utility’s own tariff, with DSIRE as an index (DSIRE, as of June 2026).
- The federal picture is stated plainly. The 30% residential federal solar credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, so most 2026 homeowner-buyers cannot claim it (IRS, as of June 2026).
- Install-cost figures are regional ranges, dated, not quotes, drawn from market data such as EnergySage and always shown as a range for your market (EnergySage, as of June 2026).
Note: Everything here is a starting point, not a quote. Our numbers tell you whether solar is likely worth a closer look in your area. The exact cost and savings for your home depend on your roof, your usage, your rate plan, and the installer’s pricing, and only a site-specific quote can pin those down.
The full sourcing map, source by source
We tie each kind of figure to one authoritative source and use it for one job. We prefer the primary source, the agency, the utility tariff, the IRS, over aggregator blogs, because a primary source is accurate and it is what we can stand behind. The table below is the whole sourcing map.
| What we report | Primary source | How we use it |
|---|---|---|
| Residential electricity rate (cents per kWh) | U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) | The “what you pay today” baseline that drives the savings math, dated by month. |
| Solar production for your area | NREL PVWatts model (PVWatts) | A modeled estimate of annual kWh a typical system makes at your latitude and irradiance. |
| Incentives, rebates, net metering | DSIRE index plus state statutes, PUC dockets, and the utility tariff (DSIRE) | Which programs and net-metering or successor rate plans actually apply where you live. |
| Install-cost range | Market data such as EnergySage (EnergySage) | A dated regional cost-per-watt range, shown as a range, never a personalized quote. |
| Federal credit status | Internal Revenue Service (IRS) | The accurate, dated posture: Section 25D ended after December 31, 2025. |
Every incentive claim is verified and dated, and anything we cannot confirm is dropped. When a state program is involved we read the statute or the revenue department directly. For example, Arizona’s residential solar credit is checked against the Arizona Department of Revenue, not a third-party summary (Arizona Department of Revenue, as of June 2026). If a claim cannot be confirmed against a primary source, it does not go on the page.
See what solar programs are available in your ZIP code
Solar incentives, net-metering credits, installer availability, and electric rates change by utility and location. Enter your ZIP and we’ll match you with licensed installers who serve your area.
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Submitted securely and used to match you with licensed installers in your area. Some homeowners may qualify for $0-up-front lease/PPA options where available.
How we compute a payback and savings estimate
We build every estimate from the data above and show the inputs, so you can follow the math. The steps are always the same: start with your local rate, model the production, value the electricity that solar would offset, then divide the system cost by that yearly value to get a payback period in years. We adjust for the local net-metering or successor rate plan where it changes what an exported kilowatt-hour is worth, and we note any still-active state or local incentive that shortens the payback.
Here is the method on illustrative numbers, so the calculation is not a black box. The figures below are an example to show the steps, not a quote or a claim about any one place. The rate, production, and cost in a real estimate come from the EIA, PVWatts, and EnergySage sources named above for your specific location.
| Step (illustrative example, not a quote) | Input source | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Local residential electricity rate | EIA residential rate (example) | 22 cents per kWh |
| System size | A typical residential system | 7.5 kW |
| Modeled annual production | NREL PVWatts (example sun profile) | about 10,000 kWh per year |
| Year-one electricity offset | production times rate | about $2,200 |
| Installed cost before incentives | about $3.00 per watt, an illustrative midpoint of the EnergySage range | about $22,500 |
| Estimated simple payback | cost divided by annual savings | about 10 years |
Read this as a worked example of the method, not a promise. The illustrative 22 cents per kWh sits inside a real national spread: U.S. residential electricity rates currently run from roughly the low-teens to over 30 cents per kWh depending on the state and utility (EIA, as of June 2026), which is exactly why a real page swaps in your state’s actual dated figure rather than a national average. The assumptions are stated in the table (a 7.5 kW system, a 22 cents per kWh rate, roughly 10,000 kWh of modeled output, and an illustrative $3.00 per watt cost), and a real page swaps in your area’s actual dated rate, your latitude’s PVWatts production, and the current regional cost range. The result is our own calculation for your area with the inputs visible, which is the difference between original analysis and a number copied from somewhere else. To go deeper on the trade-offs, see the financial case for whether solar panels are worth it and how solar lowers your electricity bill.
What we claim, and what we never claim
We are deliberate about the line between an estimate and a guarantee. The table below is the short version of what a SolarFY figure is and is not.
| We do | We do not |
|---|---|
| Cite a named primary source and a date for every rate, incentive, and tax fact | Invent a number, or carry an undated figure on a money page |
| Label production and payback as modeled estimates with the inputs shown | Promise a specific dollar saving or a guaranteed payback for your home |
| State the federal credit posture accurately: Section 25D ended after December 31, 2025 | Never imply a homeowner can claim the 30% federal residential credit (Section 25D ended after December 31, 2025) |
| Frame lease and PPA options as “no up-front cost where eligible” | Say or imply “free solar”; solar panels are not free |
| Describe how to screen an installer on objective criteria | Publish a paid or ranked “best installer” list |
How we report the federal tax-credit status
This is the figure the open web most often gets wrong, so we hold a hard line on it. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, so a homeowner who completes a solar installation with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS, as of June 2026). A lot of installer pages and older articles still say the 30% credit is available; on a SolarFY page the accurate, dated posture overrides that, every time. For the full timeline and what changed, see what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026.
One federal credit still exists, and it is not the homeowner’s to claim. The separate commercial Section 48E clean-electricity investment credit can apply to a third-party-owned lease or PPA system, but the business that owns the panels claims it, not the homeowner (IRS, as of June 2026). So on a lease or PPA you do not file for a federal credit yourself. We present Section 48E strictly as a commercial, system-owner credit, never a homeowner one, and we never present the residential 25D credit, which ended after December 31, 2025, as still available.
How often we update, and who reviews
We date every figure and refresh a page when its source data actually changes. A rate, an incentive, or a tax rule is shown with the date it was accurate, and we re-publish a page with a bumped review date when the underlying data moves, a new EIA rate, a changed net-metering plan, or a new or expired incentive. We do not fake freshness by restamping a page that has not changed.
Each page is automation-assisted and human-reviewed before it goes live. We use scripts to gather the data and draft the page, then it is fact-checked against the primary sources above, passes an automated compliance gate that blocks an untruthful tax-credit claim or a missing citation, and a person reviews and approves it before publishing. The work is published by the SolarFY Editorial team. You can read more about the SolarFY team and how we work, and when you are choosing a company, the right questions to ask a solar installer shows the same objective-criteria approach we use.
Frequently asked questions
Where do your solar electricity rates come from?
Our electricity rates come from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and from the utility’s own published tariff where we have it (EIA, as of June 2026). We show the rate in cents per kWh, name the state and the serving utility where it applies, and date it by the month it was current. We use that rate as the baseline for the savings math, because the value of solar is mostly the price of the grid power it offsets. Rates change a few times a year, so a dated figure matters: an undated rate on a money page is the failure mode we most want to avoid, and it is why every rate we publish carries its source and its date.
How do you estimate how much electricity a solar system will produce?
We model production with NREL’s PVWatts calculator for a typical system size at your area’s latitude, irradiance, and weather profile (NREL PVWatts, as of June 2026). The output is an estimate of annual kilowatt-hours, not a promise for your specific roof. Real production depends on your roof’s pitch, orientation, and shading, the exact equipment, and the weather in a given year, which is why we call it a modeled estimate and point you to a site-specific quote for the real number. PVWatts is a free, transparent model from a national lab, which is exactly why we use it rather than a proprietary black box.
Are your solar payback and savings numbers guaranteed?
No. They are our own estimates, computed from your local electricity rate, modeled PVWatts production, and a typical installed-cost range, with the assumptions shown (EnergySage, as of June 2026). A payback figure tells you whether solar is likely worth a closer look in your area, not what your bill will be. Your actual result depends on your roof, your usage and rate plan, the equipment and installer pricing, and how you pay. We label every result an estimate and show the inputs precisely so the math is not a guarantee dressed up as a fact.
How do you report the federal tax-credit status on your pages?
We state it plainly and we date it. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, so most homeowners completing a solar installation in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS, as of June 2026). Many older pages on the web still imply the credit is available; we override that with the accurate, dated posture on every page. The separate commercial Section 48E credit can apply to a leased or PPA system, but the business that owns the system claims it, never the homeowner. We are not a tax advisor, so confirm any tax question with a qualified professional.
How do you keep incentive and net-metering information current?
We verify each incentive against a primary source: the state statute or revenue department, the public utility commission docket, or the utility’s own tariff, using DSIRE as an index rather than the final word (DSIRE, as of June 2026). Every incentive and net-metering figure is dated, and any claim we cannot confirm against a primary source is dropped rather than published. When a program changes or ends, we update the affected pages and adjust the savings math, because a stale incentive is worse than none. That is the same discipline behind how net metering credits your solar exports.
SolarFY (MySolarFY) is a free service that matches homeowners with licensed solar installers. We are not an installer, a financing company, a tax advisor, or a government program. All savings and payback figures on our pages are estimates and are not guaranteed; they vary with your home, usage, rate plan, equipment, and financing. “No up-front cost” refers to qualifying lease or PPA financing where eligible homeowners may have no out-of-pocket cost at installation; it is not free solar, and solar panels are not free. Lease and PPA terms typically run 20 to 25 years, may include an annual price escalator, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase; on a lease or PPA the system owner, not the homeowner, receives any applicable tax credit. The 30% federal residential solar credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, so most 2026 homeowner-buyers do not get the federal credit. Incentives, savings, and rates vary and are not guaranteed. We do not provide tax or financial advice; consult a qualified professional about your own situation.
Reviewed by the SolarFY Editorial team. Figures and methodology on this page were verified against the linked EIA, NREL PVWatts, DSIRE, IRS, and EnergySage sources as of June 2026; rates, incentives, net-metering rules, and install-cost ranges change, so we update this page when our sources or our method change.
