Skip to the card

Card 642 of 9982026-08-21 issue

Observed arrival · 2026-08-21

Payback Math Refuses to Sell You the Happy Answer

paybackmath.com Observed source
Editorial interest 88/100 Selection signal · not a rating of the site

State-by-state calculators test whether solar panels, EVs, heat pumps, and home batteries actually pay for themselves.

Landing page captured for the 2026-08-21 issue.

Why it surfaced

Payback Math separates bill savings from wishful brochure math—and reports that home batteries pay for themselves in 0 of 51 states on bill savings alone. Its models account for details other comparisons often omit, including charging losses, public fast-charging costs, climate, and real-world solar losses.

State-by-state calculators test whether solar panels, EVs, heat pumps, and home batteries actually pay for themselves.

Observed signals

Read the marks

Editorial observations of this landing page, not a rating.

○OpenPublic substance visible
✦PrettyNotable craft visible
●ProPolished or operationally mature
◎NicheUnusually specific use

One card from the complete issue

The Missing Knob Bulletin

359,677 arrived 1,000 judged 998 catalogued Enter the complete issue
paybackmath.com

Landing page observed 2026-08-21. The live site may have changed.