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.
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
SolarReviews' in-house solar experts break down some of Reddit's top solar panel questions so you can trust you're getting the best advice.
Written by Ben Zientara
To make the average amount of energy used by a home in America, a 2,000 sq. ft. home would need between 16 and 21 solar panels.
Written by Ben Zientara
Xcel Energy Colorado will provide new incentives that will help spread the benefits of clean energy to a wide range of Colorado residents. Learn more here.
Written by Ben Zientara
How do solar panels fare in a hurricane? Surprisingly well, it turns out. Learn more about what happens to solar panels in a hurricane today.
Written by Ben Zientara
President Biden issued two executive orders to increase the amount of solar installation and manufacturing in the U.S. Will they work?
Written by Ben Zientara