Balcony Sun Lab

How We Research, Fact-Check and Update Our Guides

Last updated

Plug-in solar rules are new, they differ by state and they change quickly. This page explains how we build and maintain our guides so you can judge how much to rely on them.

Laws and regulations

  • We read the enacted bill or statute on the state legislature's website whenever it is available, and the official legislation and guidance pages for the UK (legislation.gov.uk and GOV.UK).
  • We cross-check dates and details with reporting from trade publications (such as pv magazine USA), state news outlets and advocacy trackers. When sources disagree, we say so on the page and give the date from the official source.
  • Each law page shows the status date (the day we last checked it) and an update log. Our state map currently reflects the status on October 22, 2026.
  • We distinguish between a law that is signed and a law that is in effect, and we never describe a state as "legal" because a bill was filed.

Product information

  • We report certification status (for example UL 3700 or UL 1741 listings) as stated by the manufacturer or the certifying lab, with the date, and we recommend checking the lab's online directory before buying.
  • Unless a guide says we tested a product ourselves, product details come from manufacturer specifications and independent reporting. We don't claim hands-on testing we haven't done.
  • Prices change constantly. We give price ranges with a date rather than exact prices.

Savings estimates

  • Electricity prices: average residential price by state from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Electric Power Monthly, July 2026. UK examples use the Ofgem price cap unit rate for October to December 2026 (26.32p per kWh, direct debit, GB average).
  • Solar output: rounded yearly output per kW of panels for each state, based on typical NREL PVWatts results for an optimally tilted, south-facing system, then adjusted for vertical or east/west mounting and shade.
  • Self-consumption: most plug-in laws exclude these kits from net metering, so we count savings only on the power you use yourself.

Our savings calculator uses exactly these assumptions, and you can change any of them.

Corrections

If you find an error, or your state's law has changed, email [email protected] with a link to the source. We correct factual errors as soon as we can verify them and note the change in the page's update log.

Independence and AI

We may use software tools, including AI writing assistants, to help draft and organise content. Every page is checked against the sources listed on it before publication, and a person is responsible for what we publish. Advertisers and affiliate partners have no say over our content.