Ben Zientara

Solar Policy Analyst

Expertise:

Solar policy | Industry trends | Solar generators

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

Best solar monitoring systems for 2024

Solar monitoring systems help homeowners see whether their solar panels are working and how much electricity they make, tracked over time to compare.

Written by Ben Zientara

Guide to net metering in New Hampshire for 2024

New Hampshire's net metering program for solar homeowners is a pretty good deal, and you stand to save quite a bit of money. Find out everything you need to know about the state's NEM 2.0 program in our latest blog post.

Written by Ben Zientara

Wisconsin net metering: selling electricity back to the grid

Wisconsin's solar net metering allows homeowners to send power back to the grid and earn credit on their electricity bills. Here's how it works.

Written by Ben Zientara

Meet two inspiring teens who are using the sun to help people hear and drink clean water

Each year since 2001, the Gloria Barron Prize is awarded to 25 outstanding young leaders ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and the environment. This year, we're pleased to announce that two of those amazing young people received the prize because of the innovative, inspiring ways they use solar.

Written by Ben Zientara

What residential solar installers need to stop doing immediately

Some solar installers use inflated estimates of utility price growth to make it seem like savings will be higher than they likely will. It's time to stop.

Written by Ben Zientara

Expert review of the Geneverse HomePower TWO PRO Solar Generator

The Geneverse HomePower TWO PRO is a good choice for people who want protection from power outages and a way to keep essential appliances running in a power outage.

Written by Ben Zientara