This is what we call the Cost of Doing Nothing calculator. If you decide not to install solar panels, your utility bill will continue to increase every year.
You can select an inflation rate (the historical average is around 3%) to see what your utility bill will cost in the future.
How Can You Prevent This?
Buying solar panels locks in your cost of electricity. Because you are essentially paying up front, you insulate yourself from these increasing rates!
How to read it
- Year-N Monthly = your estimated bill in that future year.
- Year-N Annual = that year’s total.
- Cumulative Spend = everything you’ll have paid from now to Year-N.
- Charts: the bar chart shows annual spend; the line chart shows the monthly bill trend by calendar year.
Reality check
- Utility inflation compounds. Small percentages add up to big numbers over 15–30 years.
- Your actual bill may swing with seasons, fees, and usage—it’s normal. The tool is here to illustrate the trajectory.
Make it work for you
- Try 2–4% to see “low” scenarios and 6–8% for “painful but possible.”
- Bump Years to 25–30 to see long-run exposure.
