Plug-in Solar Simple Calculator
Ben Paulos, CESA
Calculate basic economics for a plug-in solar installation. Enter your own values in the green shaded fields; everything else updates automatically.
| High value example | Low value example | Your valuesEnter your own values in the shaded fields |
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* Capacity factor (CF): the ratio of actual energy output compared to maximum theoretical output (as a percentage).
EIA data on retail electricity rates by state
Link to a map with high/low value cases by state
This tool accompanies the report "What States Need to Know About Plug-in Solar".
Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA.org), January 2026 (updated June 2026)
Resource Details:
Date: October 9, 2026
Type: Online Tool
Topic(s): Distributed Generation, Solar PV