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State Solar Guides
Browse 17 in-depth State Solar Guides guides from Solar Planner Guide. Our editorial team researches and writes each one to give you clear, practical answers, current as of August 2026. The newest are shown first.

Solar Panels in North Carolina: Installation, Costs & Incentives
North Carolina has quietly become one of the better states for residential solar, and most coverage either …

Solar in the Pacific Northwest: What Homeowners Need to Know
Most solar coverage about the Pacific Northwest makes the same mistake: it leads with sunshine maps that show …

Solar Panels in New Jersey: Your Complete Installation Guide
New Jersey might be the most interesting solar market in the country right now. I don’t say that to hype …

Solar Panels in Colorado: Your Complete Installation Guide
Colorado gets 300 days of sunshine a year. That number gets repeated so often in solar marketing that …

$4,000 to $6,000: Illinois Solar Panel Costs Explained
Forty-four percent. That’s the share of Illinois homeowners who, according to EnergySage’s most …

Worst States for Solar Panels: Where Installation Doesn't Pay
47 states get enough sun to make solar at least somewhat viable. But “viable” isn’t the same …

How Midwest Homeowners Can Go Solar Today
Chicago gets about 4.2 peak sun hours per day on average. I know that number surprises people, because the …

Ohio Homeowners' Complete Solar Panel Setup Guide
Ohio gets about 178 sunny days per year. That sounds discouraging until you realize Germany, the country that …

Massachusetts Solar Panel Installation: Complete Homeowner Guide
Massachusetts is one of the best states in the country to go solar. I’ll say that upfront, without the …

New York Solar Panels: Installation Guide and Incentives
Forty-three dollars. That’s what one of my clients in Westchester was paying per day on electricity last …

How California's NEM 3.0 Changes Solar Payback
California killed the deal that made rooftop solar a no-brainer. On April 15, 2023, NEM 3.0 went live, and the …

Arizona Solar Panel Costs: What You'll Actually Pay
Arizona gets more sunshine than almost anywhere in the country. About 300 days of it per year in Phoenix …

Florida Solar Panel Installation: What You Need to Know
Florida gets about 237 sunny days a year. You’d think that makes it the best place in the country to go …

How State Net Metering Rules Affect Your Solar Returns
Your utility company probably hasn’t sent you a letter about this. They rarely do. But quietly, over the …

California Solar Panels Under NEM 3.0: What Changed
If you’ve been sitting on the fence about going solar in California, I’ll be honest: the window …

Where Your Solar Investment Pays Off Most
My favorite myth to bust: the sunniest state is automatically the best state for solar savings. I’ve …

Texas Solar Panel Buyers' Complete Guide
Your electric bill hit $340 last August, and you’re done. That’s the moment most Texans start …