Solar Quotes on Solar Examinerhttps://solarexaminer.com/tags/solar-quotes/Recent content in Solar Quotes on Solar ExaminerHugoen-usSolar ExaminerTue, 06 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000How to Compare Solar Quotes in 2026: 8 Numbers to Check on Every Proposalhttps://solarexaminer.com/posts/how-to-compare-solar-quotes/Tue, 06 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://solarexaminer.com/posts/how-to-compare-solar-quotes/<p>Three installers can look at the same roof and hand you three proposals that cannot be compared line by line. One leads with monthly savings, one with a 25-year total, one with a payback period. The way through is to pull the same eight numbers out of each proposal and put them side by side.</p> <h2 id="the-eight-numbers">The Eight Numbers</h2> <table> <thead> <tr> <th>#</th> <th>Number</th> <th>How to get it</th> <th>What it tells you</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>1</td> <td>Price per watt</td> <td>Total price ÷ system watts</td> <td>Whether the price is in line with other quotes</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2</td> <td>Production per kW</td> <td>First-year kWh ÷ system kW</td> <td>Whether the output estimate is realistic</td> </tr> <tr> <td>3</td> <td>Electric rate used</td> <td>Read it from the savings page</td> <td>Whether savings start from your real rate</td> </tr> <tr> <td>4</td> <td>Export credit used</td> <td>Ask if it is not shown</td> <td>Whether exported power is overvalued</td> </tr> <tr> <td>5</td> <td>Self-use share</td> <td>Ask if it is not shown</td> <td>How much output is valued at the higher rate</td> </tr> <tr> <td>6</td> <td>Rate escalator</td> <td>Read it from the savings page</td> <td>How much of the savings is a forecast</td> </tr> <tr> <td>7</td> <td>Payment escalator (lease or PPA)</td> <td>Read it from the contract</td> <td>How your payment grows</td> </tr> <tr> <td>8</td> <td>Warranty years</td> <td>Equipment, workmanship, production</td> <td>Who pays when something fails</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2 id="1-price-per-watt">1. Price Per Watt</h2> <p>The Department of Energy&rsquo;s guidance is to &ldquo;divide the cost of the system by the system&rsquo;s capacity in watts.&rdquo; Multiply kilowatts by 1,000 to get watts.</p>