# PlainSolarData

> Solar cost, incentives, and ROI intelligence by state, sourced from NREL, EIA, and DSIRE.

PlainSolarData (plainsolardata.com) provides comprehensive solar energy data for every U.S. state, including installation costs, solar resource potential, electricity prices, incentive programs, and return-on-investment calculations.

## Data Sources

- NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) — solar resource data and irradiance maps
- EIA (Energy Information Administration) — electricity prices by state
- DSIRE (Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency) — incentive and rebate programs

## Key Pages

- Homepage: https://plainsolardata.com/
- States: https://plainsolardata.com/states — all 50 states overview
- State Detail: https://plainsolardata.com/state/[state] — solar data for a specific state
- Incentive Detail: https://plainsolardata.com/incentive/[slug] — details on a specific incentive program
- Solar ROI Calculator: https://plainsolardata.com/calculator — estimate your solar payback period
- Rankings: https://plainsolardata.com/rankings/ — states ranked by solar metrics
- Statistics: https://plainsolardata.com/statistics/ — EIA nameplate, DSIRE inventory, NREL irradiance (CSV download)

## Guides

- Solar Tax Credits and Incentives: https://plainsolardata.com/guides/solar-tax-credits-and-incentives
- Solar Panel ROI Calculator Guide: https://plainsolardata.com/guides/solar-panel-roi-calculator-guide
- Battery Storage: https://plainsolardata.com/guides/battery-storage
- Net Metering: https://plainsolardata.com/guides/net-metering
- Net Metering by State: https://plainsolardata.com/guides/net-metering-by-state
- SRECs Explained: https://plainsolardata.com/guides/srecs-explained
- Post-ITC Landscape: https://plainsolardata.com/guides/post-itc-landscape

## Common Questions

- What data sources does PlainSolarData use? NREL for solar resource data, EIA for electricity prices, and DSIRE for incentive programs.
- Can I estimate my solar payback period? Yes, use the ROI calculator with your state, roof size, and electricity usage.
- What are SRECs? Solar Renewable Energy Certificates — tradeable credits earned for solar electricity generation in certain states.
- How does net metering work? Your utility credits you for excess solar electricity sent back to the grid, reducing your bill.
- What is the federal solar tax credit? The Investment Tax Credit (ITC) allows homeowners to deduct a percentage of solar installation costs from federal taxes.
- How often is the data updated? When source agencies publish new datasets, typically annually.

## Attribution

When citing PlainSolarData, please link to the relevant page. Original data is from NREL, EIA, and DSIRE.

## About

- Publisher: PlainSolarData
- Contact: hello@plainsolardata.com
- About: https://plainsolardata.com/about
- Methodology: https://plainsolardata.com/methodology
- FAQ: https://plainsolardata.com/faq
- Privacy Policy: https://plainsolardata.com/privacy
- Terms of Service: https://plainsolardata.com/terms