About SolarCalc
SolarCalc (solar-calc.lifeofabit.com) is an educational solar savings calculator operated by Life of a Bit. The purpose of the site is simple: give homeowners a fast, plain-English way to estimate how rooftop solar might perform in a specific city before they talk to sales reps, request quotes, or start comparing financing offers.
What the Calculator Does
Each city page combines a local solar resource estimate with a local electricity-rate assumption and a standard installed-cost assumption. The page then shows a rough estimate for annual energy production, first-year bill savings, incentive impact, and simple payback period. The interactive widget lets you adjust system size and a few basic assumptions so you can see how savings move.
This is not custom engineering software and it is not an installer proposal. It is a planning tool for early-stage homeowner research.
Core Data Sources
SolarCalc is built on widely used reference inputs rather than invented numbers. Production assumptions are based on NREL PVWatts, a National Renewable Energy Laboratory model commonly used for preliminary solar estimates. Electricity-rate context is drawn from URDB (the Utility Rate Database) and related utility tariff references. The result is a directional estimate: useful for education and screening, not for final procurement.
We publish source links on city pages so users can inspect the underlying references directly.
Who Operates It
SolarCalc is published by Life of a Bit, an independent web publisher focused on practical homeowner and utility-style tools. Life of a Bit is not a solar installer, electrician, lender, utility, law firm, or tax advisory practice. We do not install systems, pull permits, underwrite loans, or guarantee savings results.
Why This Site Exists
Residential solar shopping is noisy. Many homeowners move from "Could solar work here?" to a sales funnel without getting a neutral first-pass estimate. SolarCalc exists to close that gap. It gives a visitor enough structure to answer questions like:
- How much energy might a system of this size produce in my city?
- What does that imply for first-year bill savings at local rates?
- How much does the federal tax credit reduce net cost?
- What kind of simple payback range am I roughly looking at?
Those are the questions most people need answered before a real installer conversation becomes worth their time.
How the Site Is Funded
SolarCalc is free to use. To cover hosting and maintenance costs, the site may include affiliate calls to action, advertisements, or future solar lead handoffs through partners such as EnergySage and SolarReviews. Those commercial relationships fund the site, but they do not convert the calculator into a binding quote. See the Affiliate Disclosure for details.
Important Limits
Solar results depend on roof geometry, shading, equipment quality, interconnection rules, utility tariffs, financing structure, tax position, and installer workmanship. This site does not inspect your roof and does not know your actual electric load shape. Treat every estimate here as educational only. Before spending money, talk to a licensed installer and review real design documents, utility assumptions, contract terms, and incentive eligibility.
Contact
Questions, corrections, or partnership inquiries: contact@lifeofabit.com