ForestMatters, LLC

Honest energy math

The financial case for sustainable living.

We build the calculators behind the big energy decisions: solar, EVs, heat pumps, home electrification, and off-grid power. The math is the same whether the answer is yes or no, and we say so when it is no. We never sell your data.

Solar payback

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Net cost $17,500Break-even~ yr 12Yr 0Yr 12Yr 25
Cumulative savingsNet system cost

Example: an 8.5 kW system at the 30% federal credit and NREL national averages. Your inputs change everything.

Run your own numbers

The IRA-era incentives

$369B

In clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act. Most are available to homeowners through 2032.

7–12 yr

Typical solar payback period, though it varies significantly by state, electricity rate, and system size.

30%

Federal tax credit for residential solar installations, available through 2032.

The incentives are real. But so is the fine print. We help you do the math.

Run the numbers

Built without a preferred outcome.

Most energy calculators are built by someone who wants to sell you something. Solar installers use them to close sales; EV dealers build cost comparisons to move inventory. When a tool helps you buy gear we may earn a disclosed commission, but the math behind the number never changes because of it. We run the numbers on an engine we built and test, and show you what they say, including when solar doesn’t pay back in time or when keeping your gas car makes more financial sense.

Also here

Personal finance calculators

The investing, debt, and savings fundamentals behind every big purchase. The same honest math, no advice.

See your whole financial picture in one place

Enter your numbers once for your FIRE date, debt-free date, net worth, savings rate, and the highest-impact scenario the math identifies. Everything recalculates as you type.

Open the dashboard