I’ve been looking into solar for my house. Not because I have strong feelings about the grid, but because my electric bill averages around $150/month and I’d like that number to be lower or gone entirely.

Here’s what I’ve found so far. I haven’t installed anything yet – this is the research phase.

Step 1: Reduce before you produce

Before even looking at panels, it made sense to cut usage. The less power you need, the smaller (and cheaper) the solar system has to be.