From Mike

Solar math, home battery reviews, and real payback numbers for US homeowners.

Author name: Mike Reeves

20 years as a licensed electrician before going solar myself in 2019. Made every mistake in the book. Now I help homeowners size systems correctly and avoid costly mistakes — no installer referral fees, no skin in the game.

Solar Trade Shows 2026: What Homeowners Should Watch

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The solar energy industry moves fast. New panel efficiencies, battery chemistries, grid-scale projects, and policy shifts can change the economics of a residential or commercial installation within months. Trade shows and conferences exist to compress that learning curve — putting manufacturers, installers, developers, policymakers, and homeowners in the same room so the industry can make

Solar PPA Red Flags: Questions to Ask Before You Sign

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A question that came up in a solar forum I follow recently: someone shared a Facebook ad for a “free solar” program and asked whether it was a scam. The answers ranged from “absolutely, run” to “it depends.” That kind of confusion is exactly what solar salespeople count on. So let’s talk about solar PPAs

Next-Gen Solar Panels 2026: What Perovskite Means

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Every few months a headline goes viral claiming that some new solar technology is about to make current panels obsolete. Usually it’s hype. But the recent wave of activity around perovskite solar cells is different — not because it’s ready for your roof today, but because understanding where it stands and what it actually means

Solar Hits 17% of US Power: What It Means for You

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The numbers are in, and they’re kind of remarkable: wind and solar together generated a record 17% of all US electricity in 2025. For solar specifically, the growth trajectory over the past five years has been steep enough that analysts who were calling “peak solar adoption” a few years ago are quietly revising their models.

3-Day Home Backup System: How I Built Mine

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Three years ago, a windstorm knocked out our power for 58 hours. We had a flashlight, a drawer full of candles, and a refrigerator full of food we watched slowly go bad. I swore it would never happen again. Last month, the same storm pattern came through. We barely noticed. The lights stayed on, the

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