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
Canadian Solar is one of the 5 biggest manufacturers of solar panels in the world. How do they stack up against the competition? Let's find out.
Written by Ben Zientara
Are lead acid batteries right for you? They may be an old technology, but the design still works well. Deep cycle lead acid batteries are a great way to store solar energy.
Written by Ben Zientara
Typical home solar installations shut down during a blackout, but you can keep the lights on in 1 of 3 ways: a generator, battery, or a special solar inverter.
Written by Ben Zientara
Under Nevada net metering, NV Energy customers can connect solar panels to the grid to earn credit for the energy they make and save a lot of money.
Written by Ben Zientara
