Post Author's Photographer By Paul Cutting July 2, 2025

Get at least two Bids

Start local, but get at least two, possibly more, bids for your project so you can compare quotes, recommendations, and ask for clarifications. Contractors are busy and may not be competing on price, so it’s to your advantage to shop around. View our Local Contractor Directory.

What questions you might ask your solar contractor

System Design – How do you size and design the system? Will you review my past energy usage and future needs to account for things like future EV or heat pump purchases?

Equipment Selection – Which brands of panels, inverters, and batteries do you install, and why? What is the functionality of the accompanying online monitoring system, and will you guide me through its use?

Interconnection and Code – How do you handle utility interconnection, net metering, and local electrical code compliance? Can you assure me my new solar array will be sized to be within any net metering caps set by my utility?

Performance Estimates – Can you provide energy production and savings estimates in writing as part of your project proposal, with assumptions explained?

Longevity – What’s the warranty on panels and inverters, and what is your company’s track record of supporting customers long-term?

Future Readiness – Can the system be expanded later if I add an EV or heat pump?

Reach out with questions

Still have questions? Contact Energy Planner Paul Cutting: paul@energydistrict.org. Your energy district is a neutral third party who is committed to helping you increase locally-owned, renewable energy.


Winneshiek Energy District Energy Planner Paul joins Winneshiek Energy District with a background in teaching and carpentry. For the last seven years Paul was a high school industrial tech teacher in Lanesboro, MN. There he taught carpentry, cabinetmaking, electricity, engineering design, graphic design, CAD, entrepreneurship, and more generally, enjoyed helping youngsters grow into capable and confident young adults. Prior to teaching, Paul spent several years as a carpenter disassembling and reconstructing 19th century Norwegian-built log buildings for clients. He also worked several seasons for HistoriCorps, a non-profit that pairs volunteers with hands-on historic preservation projects throughout the mountain west. In his free time Paul enjoys making furniture, trail running with his dog Bobo, scheming backpacking trips out west, camping in his homemade teardrop camper, and rehabbing his 170 year old brick house.

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