# How State Policies Affect Your Ability to Go Solar
If you’re considering installing **solar panels for your home**, you might not realize how much state policies impact your ability to do so. Every year, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) releases a **Community Power Scorecard**, which ranks states based on how supportive they are of locally owned **solar** and clean energy. If you live in a state with low scores, you might face barriers like restrictive interconnection policies or weak net metering rules that make it harder to benefit from a **solar array for home** energy savings.
## Understanding the Community Power Scorecard
The **2025 Community Power Scorecard** evaluates policies in 18 different areas that affect clean energy development, including:
– **Net Metering** – Determines how you’re compensated for the excess electricity your home’s solar system sends to the grid. Some states offer full retail credit, while others have reduced compensation rates.
– **Third-Party Ownership** – Allows homeowners to lease **solar** systems or use a power purchase agreement (PPA) instead of paying upfront for the system.
– **Interconnection Standards** – Addresses how easy or difficult it is for homeowners to connect
Original Article: https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/02/21/u-s-states-still-have-a-lot-of-work-to-do-on-energy-policy/
