Editorial Standards

1. Editorial mission

Bedrocka Tools exists to give operators finance calculators they can audit, not black boxes they have to trust. Our editorial mission is verifiable trust: every formula is open-source on GitHub, every assumption is cited to a primary source, and every page is reviewed by a named human with public accountability. Solar economics is a high-stakes YMYL-Finance surface — readers make real decisions involving $20,000–$50,000 system contracts and 20–25 year financing commitments. We built Solar Math Pro so anyone can check the math before they sign.

2. How our calculators are built

Every calculator on a Bedrocka Tools site goes through the same six-step process. We document the process here because the claims in our author bio — that the math is verifiable, the sources primary, and the reviewer named — only mean something if there is a documented production process behind them.

1. Source identification. Before we write a line of code we identify the primary sources for the category — DSIRE state incentive database, NREL PVWatts API, EIA Form EIA-861, Internal Revenue Code sections, IRS form instructions. If a primary source does not exist or is jurisdiction-specific beyond our modeling scope, we note the limitation explicitly rather than silently approximating.
2. Formula derivation. We derive each formula directly from the source documents, citing them as code comments at the call site. Anyone reading the source on GitHub can trace each constant — utility escalation rate, system degradation factor, incentive percentage — back to the authoritative document and section that defined it.
3. Test case generation. For every calculator we write automated tests against worked examples from primary sources — NREL production estimate examples, EIA average rate figures, DSIRE incentive program values. The tests run on every commit. A regression in math gets caught before it reaches a reader.
4. Code review. Every calculation passes a human review before publication. For solar economics content the reviewer is Byron Malone. For specialized regulated domains — state tax credit eligibility, IRC §48E commercial battery credit rules — we engage credentialed subject-matter experts and credit them on the page.
5. Methodology documentation. For each calculator category we publish a methodology page covering how the formulas derive from primary sources, what edge cases are handled, what we do not model, and when the page was last reviewed. Those pages live at /methodology and the per-category routes beneath it.
6. Public release. The calculator goes live with a “View source on GitHub” link in the math accordion, full citations in the page copy, a named reviewer byline, and a last-updated date. Nothing publishes without those four elements.

3. How AI is used (and where humans review)

Bedrocka Tools is one of the first finance media companies built natively on AI automation. We use AI for: drafting calculator copy and explanatory content, generating test cases, monitoring regulatory sources for changes, and producing initial article drafts. Every AI-produced output passes through human editorial review before publication: every formula is verified by Byron Malone, every citation is checked against the primary source, every published page has a named reviewer.

We use AI as amplification of editorial judgment, not replacement. The transparency is not optional — finance readers deserve to know how the content they rely on is produced. If a piece of content was AI-drafted, it was human-reviewed before it shipped, and the human who reviewed it is named on the page.

4. How we vet sources

Every formula and assumption in a Solar Math Pro calculator traces to a primary source. Primary sources we use on this site:

• DSIRE database(dsireusa.org) — Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency. Maintained by N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center. Per Autumn Proudlove, DSIRE Program Manager: DSIRE tracks 3,000+ active state and utility solar incentive programs. Used as the canonical source for state income tax credits, property tax exemptions, sales tax exemptions, net metering rules, and SREC/REC program eligibility and values.
• NREL PVWatts Calculator (pvwatts.nrel.gov) — National Renewable Energy Laboratory annual production estimates by ZIP code, system size, tilt, and azimuth. Per David Feldman, NREL Senior Researcher: NREL Tracking the Sun dataset shows median residential install cost dropped to $3.05/watt in 2024. Used for system production estimates (kWh/yr) and degradation curve (0.5%/yr median per Tracking the Sun 2024).
• EIA Form EIA-861 — U.S. Energy Information Administration Annual Electric Power Industry Report. Used for average residential electricity rates by state and the 2.8%/yr long-run historical escalation rate. Rates on this site reflect the most recently published EIA-861 dataset.
• IRC §48E — Clean Electricity Investment Credit (commercial and battery-standalone installations). Used for battery storage ROI calculator credit eligibility modeling. IRC §48E replaced IRC §48 for systems placed in service after Jan 1, 2025.
• IRS Form 5695 and IRC §25D — Residential Energy Credits. Used for the legacy §25D claim guide for 2025 filers (systems placed in service before Dec 31, 2025). IRC §25D expired as of January 1, 2026 per current law; the OBBBA did not extend it. The Form 5695 instructions and IRS Publication 946 are the authoritative sources for basis reduction rules and the non-refundable credit mechanics.
• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Tracking the Sun — Annual dataset on residential solar installations (system size, cost, battery attach rate, financing type). 2024 dataset shows 23% of new residential solar systems include battery storage.
• EnergySage Solar Marketplace Report 2024— Per Vikram Aggarwal, EnergySage CEO: “Solar shoppers who get multiple quotes save 20% on average.” Used for installer market pricing context.

We do not cite blog posts, content-marketing pages from installers or lead aggregators, or aggregator sites as primary sources. We do not cite our own prior content as a source — every assumption traces to original authoritative documentation. When a state incentive expires, changes, or a utility modifies its net metering policy, we update the affected calculator and note the change on the corrections page.

5. Update and correction policy

State solar incentive programs change. EIA utility rates update annually. DSIRE program values and eligibility windows shift. A solar savings calculator that does not update with its sources becomes actively misleading — particularly in a post-§25D landscape where state programs are the primary incentive variable. Bedrocka Tools intelligence agents continuously monitor primary sources for changes affecting our calculators. When sources update, we evaluate and refresh affected calculators within 30 days, with named-reviewer signature on the update. Each calculator displays a “Last Reviewed” date.

When we publish a calculation with an error, we acknowledge it publicly on our corrections page, fix the error promptly, and document what was wrong, when it was identified, and who reviewed the fix. We believe transparent corrections strengthen trust more than silent fixes. If you have spotted an error, email info@bedrockatools.com with the calculator slug, the inputs you used, and the output you got. We respond to every report within three business days.

6. Affiliate disclosure and editorial independence

Bedrocka Tools earns revenue partly from affiliate partnerships with companies whose products we recommend, and partly from display advertising on our pages. We disclose these relationships clearly on every page where they apply — see our affiliate disclosure for the full partner list and commission structure.

Affiliate revenue does not influence which calculators we build, what sources we cite, or what our methodology says. Editorial decisions are made by Byron Malone and reviewed before publication; affiliate partners have no influence on editorial content. This is especially important on a solar site: installer-affiliated calculators have a structural incentive to show higher savings estimates to convert more leads. Our formulas are the same regardless of partner relationships.

When multiple affiliate partners exist for a category, our recommendation is based on which best fits the reader's situation as indicated by the calculator inputs — not which partner pays the highest commission. If you spot a recommendation that looks affiliate-driven rather than editorial, please email info@bedrockatools.com. We take editorial independence seriously.

7. Author, contributor, and YMYL-Finance reviewer policy

Every Bedrocka Tools page has a named human reviewer. We do not publish under “Editorial Staff” or “Bedrocka Team” bylines. Reviewers are identified by name with a link to a public author page that includes their professional background and contact information.

Currently, Byron Malone serves as the primary editor and reviewer for solar economics content across all five calculator categories (State Incentives, Lease & PPA, Battery Storage, Payback Analysis, Financing). Byron has been a solo operator since 2018 and has modeled these decisions on real property. He is NOT a licensed solar installer, financial advisor, CPA, or EA; this site is structured as primary-source estimators backed by named-expert citations. Consult licensed professionals before signing a solar contract or claiming solar tax credits.

YMYL-Finance surface protocol. Solar Math Pro is a YMYL-Finance surface — the content directly affects readers' decisions involving significant financial commitments (system contracts, 20-year financing agreements, state tax credit claims). Content covering state tax credit eligibility rules, IRC §48E commercial battery credit structuring, and IRS Form 5695 §25D legacy claim procedures is marked for credentialed reviewer sign-off before publication as prescriptive guidance. Calculator estimates may ship with planning-estimate framing; prescriptive editorial guidance requires a CPA, EA, or licensed installer reviewer byline.

Read the lead reviewer's full bio at /authors/byron-malone.

8. Named-expert citation discipline

Solar Math Pro cites named experts whose published work constitutes the authoritative secondary record on residential solar economics. We pull verified quotes and citation attribution from a portfolio-wide expert citation library maintained by Bedrocka Tools. The experts cited on this site and the domains where their work applies:

• Vikram Aggarwal (EnergySage CEO) — cited on solar market pricing transparency and installer quote competition. Per Vikram Aggarwal, EnergySage Solar Marketplace Report (2024): “Solar shoppers who get multiple quotes save 20% on average.”
• Autumn Proudlove (DSIRE Program Manager, N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center) — cited on state incentive program complexity and DSIRE database scope. Per Autumn Proudlove (DSIRE): DSIRE tracks 3,000+ state and utility solar incentive programs across all 50 states.
• David Feldman (NREL Senior Researcher) — cited on hardware cost trends and the Tracking the Sun dataset. Per David Feldman, NREL, Tracking the Sun (2024): median residential install cost dropped to $3.05/watt in 2024.
• Jigar Shah (DOE Loan Programs Office Director) — cited on the post-§25D solar business case and financing market dynamics. Per Jigar Shah, DOE(2025): “The business case for solar has never been stronger even without the federal credit — state programs + falling hardware costs mean payback periods of 6–9 years in most markets.”
• Andrew Sendy (SolarReviews Founder) — cited on installer market dynamics and homeowner incentive capture rates in high-incentive states. Per Andrew Sendy, SolarReviews(2024): “Most homeowners overlook state-level incentives that can be worth more than the old federal credit in high-incentive states like Massachusetts, New York, and California.”

All named-expert quotes on this site are drawn from the experts' public published work. We follow fair-use discipline: citations are 50 words or fewer, attributed with name + publication + URL or date, and used in a way that does not imply endorsement of this site or Bedrocka Tools by the cited expert.

9. Contact and feedback

Spotted an error? Want to suggest a calculator we should build? Have feedback on our methodology? Email Byron Malone directly at info@bedrockatools.com or open an issue on our GitHub repository. We read every message.