About Ben Zientara
Ben Zientara is a writer, researcher, and solar policy analyst who has written about the residential solar industry, the electric grid, and state utility policy since 2013.
His early work included leading the team that produced the annual State Solar Power Rankings Report for the Solar Power Rocks website from 2015 to 2020. The rankings were utilized and referenced by a diverse mix of policymakers, advocacy groups, and media including The Center for American Progress, The Institute for Local Self-Reliance, the Solar Institute at George Washington University, PolitiFact, and The Guardian.
In 2020, Ben joined SolarReviews and now lends his expertise to the annual Solar Industry Survey, Top Solar Manufacturers list, Top 10 Solar States list, and throughout articles and pages across the site.
Ben holds a B.S. in Scientific & Technical Communication from the University of Minnesota, with special coursework in Environmental Science and a minor in Sustainability Studies. He spends his time away from the solar power world cooking and eating delicious food or spending quality time with his wife, kids, and big brown dog in the mountains, woods, parks, and playgrounds of the Portland, Oregon area.
Articles by Ben Zientara
Solar loans let you get solar panels with no upfront costs. We look at whether they are worth it, and how you can find the best one.
Written by Ben Zientara
Duke Energy in Florida offers full retail net metering that allows solar panels to lower electric bills substantially.
Written by Ben Zientara
TECO offers two solar savings programs for Florida residents, and one will save you substantially more than the other. We explain each (and which one you should sign up for) in our latest blog.
Written by Ben Zientara
Heat pumps are the key to electrifying your home's HVAC and water heating. They can be paired with solar panels and batteries to massively reduce emissions and change the way you use energy.
Written by Ben Zientara
Guide to the new PG&E solar energy plan that covers net billing, solar energy costs and savings, and steps to go solar.
Written by Ben Zientara
LG solar batteries can power your home in an outage and store excess energy from solar panels. Are they the best choice for your home?
Written by Ben Zientara
