CD Staff Writer & Energy Analyst
Certified energy auditor, financial analysis background, cited by 3 state energy commissions
Claire is the person your solar installer hopes you don't talk to before signing the contract. She spent five years as an energy auditor crunching utility rate structures and incentive programs, and she's built ROI calculators for homeowners in 38 states that account for the stuff salespeople conveniently skip — net metering policy changes, TOU rate shifts, and the actual degradation curve of the panels they're quoting you. She's helped over 100 homeowners evaluate whether solar makes financial sense, and her honest answer is sometimes 'not yet' — which is why solar companies have stopped returning her calls. Her battery storage economics analyses have been cited by three state energy commissions.
4 years of experience in solar energy.
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Real solar installation costs in every US state for 2026. We break down price per watt, system costs, incentives, and payback periods so you know exactly what to expect.