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

What is net metering and how does it work?

Net metering provides bill credits to your electric bills when you send excess solar energy to the utility, maximizing your solar energy bill savings.

Written by Ben Zientara

What is net metering and how does it work?
The FPL SolarTogether Program: Is it worth it?

Florida Power & Light offers the SolarTogether program for residents who wish to support solar energy. But does it provide any real savings?

Written by Ben Zientara

The FPL SolarTogether Program: Is it worth it?
Solar panel car roofs: are they a good idea?

Solar panel car roofs promise to use renewable energy to charge the car's batteries, but a fully solar-powered car isn't practical for the majority of people.

Written by Ben Zientara

Solar panel car roofs: are they a good idea?
What is Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), and why should you care?

Levelized Cost Of Energy (LCOE) is a way to help people compare the cost of two different ways of paying for energy over long periods of time.

Written by Ben Zientara

What is Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), and why should you care?
Best Solar Battery Backup Systems for Homes in 2025: Choose the Right One for You

We tested and analyzed 20 of the most popular home energy storage systems to come up with our list of the best for 2025. Come see which batteries made our list!

Written by Ben Zientara

Best Solar Battery Backup Systems for Homes in 2025: Choose the Right One for You
The Sense energy monitor review: Is it worth it?

Adding a Sense Energy Monitor to your solar installation can provide insight into how much energy you use, how much your solar panels produce, and more.

Written by Ben Zientara

The Sense energy monitor review: Is it worth it?