THE PRACTICAL GUIDE / SOLAR
A little sunshine.
A greener everyday.
California’s new plug-in solar law creates an opportunity for sunny balconies. Discover how small panels could help power your day and what they might save.
Read the guide Calculate your savingsCalifornia’s framework begins January 1, 2027. Start exploring your options.
Where is it allowed?
Separate laws in force from laws taking effect later. Explore the US and beyond.
02 / THE NUMBERSMake the math yours.
Compare solar alone with solar and storage, using your electricity price and costs.
03 / THE TRADEOFFSBefore you buy.
Price, certification, availability, and the questions a product page may leave unanswered.
THE GOOD GREEN LIBRARY / 20 ARTICLES
Make your next green choice.
Start with the question that matters to you.
Climate / Research & ActionFinding invisible leaks: a clearer target for climate action.
A major satellite test offers encouraging evidence for finding methane leaks. The next step is turning better measurements into verified repairs.
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Environmental Health / ElectrificationA cleaner kitchen can be a better workplace, too.
New research puts restaurant workers at the center of the electrification conversation. Explore what cleaner cooking equipment could offer and how to plan a useful change.
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Clean Energy / ManufacturingMore American-made clean energy: what the factory numbers tell us.
US solar and battery manufacturing capacity has grown. Here is how to read the encouraging numbers without confusing a factory’s potential with products delivered.
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California / clean energyCalifornia’s grid passed a heat test. What helped keep the lights on?
A new California update offers encouraging evidence of grid progress. Explore the role of storage, planning, and the questions that still matter.
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California / local actionMeet your native neighbors: a plant-discovery walk in SLO.
Join the curiosity on October 17: a native-plant hike in Irish Hills, plus simple ways to connect with the nature around you.
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California / clean energySunshine after sunset: Pasadena puts stored energy to work.
A new community-scale battery could help clean electricity reach the evening hours. Here is what Pasadena is building and why it matters.
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Solar / research & innovationTiny crystals, brighter possibilities for solar power.
Researchers are finding new ways to improve perovskite solar materials. A temporary liquid offers an intriguing step toward making sunlight go further.
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California / climate & preparationA wetter winter? Small steps to get your California home ready.
Understand El Niño, explore California’s winter outlook, and take practical steps to prepare your home and help your neighbors.
Read the guide →Solar & batteriesCalifornia plug-in solar: the rules and real savings.
Put balcony sunshine to work: explore the rules and calculate solar-and-battery savings.
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EVs & transportationBest EVs for long road trips: a greener way to get away.
Great journeys, cleaner driving: compare EVs for quick charging, family adventures, and long stretches of open road.
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Solar & batteriesHome batteries: more peace of mind, a smarter energy budget.
Keep essential circuits running and put stored energy to work, with affordable options, with or without solar.
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Everyday technologyPortable phone batteries: a little power for a bigger day.
Stay connected on a bike ride, a train journey, or a day outdoors with a compact battery you will actually use.
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Power & planetSustainable data centers: a world of better ideas.
From renewable electricity to useful waste heat, explore ways to make the infrastructure behind our digital lives work better for the planet.
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EVs & transportationElectric bikes for town: turn everyday errands into a good ride.
Less time behind the wheel, more enjoyment along the way. Compare three e-bikes for commuting, groceries, and everyday trips.
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California & savingsFive affordable used EVs: your next car could be electric.
Explore five practical used EVs, national price references, and state incentives that could bring electric driving within reach.
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Home energyHome wind power: make the most of the right breeze.
For an open, consistently windy property, a small turbine can add another source of renewable energy. Here is how to find a good fit.
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Solar & batteriesAn off-grid work shed: give your ideas a little solar power.
Light a workspace, charge a laptop, and put sunlight to work with a solar-and-battery setup sized for your day.
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Power & transportationElectric buses: a brighter future for everyday journeys.
Cleaner air at stops, quieter journeys, and a chance to make public transport an even better way to get around.
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Health & transportationEVs and healthier air: a benefit we can share.
Removing tailpipe exhaust is a practical step toward cleaner streets. Explore the evidence for communities and the choices that build on it.
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Everyday savingsMake your battery work smarter for a greener day.
Useful backup, well-timed charging, and equipment that lasts: get more value from the storage you choose.
Read the guide →OUR APPROACH
A greener life. Within reach.
Stay informed. Discover greener technology. Make affordable choices that help protect our planet.
Our launch edition covers solar, batteries, EVs, electric bikes, cleaner buses, healthier air, and sustainable data centers. Future reporting will also explore home electrification, agriculture, water, and the grid.
We read university research, consumer organizations, independent journalism, and international sources. Laws are checked against enacted text. Manufacturer claims are labeled. Sources can be challenged.
Read our editorial commitmentsSMALL STEPS. SHARED POSSIBILITIES.
A greener world takes good people.
Explore 350.org and 11 other environmental nonprofits working on cleaner energy, healthier communities, and the places we love, with independent reviews and ways to get involved.
Find your way to take action