Solar Basics

Before you weigh quotes or chase incentives, it helps to understand what a home solar system actually does. Panels turn sunlight into direct current, an inverter converts it to the AC your home uses, and anything you don't use flows back to the grid — often for a credit. That's the whole loop, and once it clicks the rest of the decision gets a lot easier.

This hub is the plain-English starting point. We don't sell hardware or pass your details to installers; the aim is to give you the mental model first, so the numbers later make sense.

How it actually works

Start with how solar panels work — what each component does and why production swings through the day and the seasons. Then read what net metering is, the billing arrangement that decides how much your exported energy is really worth. Those two ideas — production and how exports are credited — drive almost every savings estimate you'll ever see.

What to expect

A typical home system covers a large share of yearly electricity use, but not every kilowatt-hour at the moment you need it. Output peaks at midday and drops to zero at night, which is why net metering (or a battery) matters so much. Knowing this up front keeps you from over- or under-sizing, and from being surprised by a winter bill. Use these basics as the foundation, then move on to costs, panels and incentives with a clear picture of what the system can and can't do.