This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, which cookies SolarInfoPath uses, why we use them, and what choices you have as a reader when it comes to managing your cookie preferences. Please take a few minutes to read through this page so you have a clear and honest understanding of how cookies work on this site and what that means for you as a visitor.
By continuing to browse SolarInfoPath after reading this page, you are acknowledging that you understand and accept our use of cookies as described below.
1. What Are Cookies
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer, smartphone, or other device when you visit a website. They are widely used across the internet by almost every major website you visit. Cookies allow websites to remember certain information about your visit, such as your preferences, which pages you viewed, and how long you spent on the site.
Cookies do not contain viruses or harmful code. They cannot access other files on your device or collect information beyond what is described in this policy. Think of them as a simple memory tool that helps websites function properly and helps website owners understand how their content is being used.
Some cookies are set directly by the website you are visiting. These are called first-party cookies. Others are set by third-party services that the website uses, such as advertising platforms or analytics tools. Both types may be active when you browse SolarInfoPath, and this page explains exactly which ones and why.
2. Why SolarInfoPath Uses Cookies
We use cookies for two primary reasons. First, they help us understand how visitors use our site so we can make it more useful and easier to navigate over time. Second, they support the advertising system we use to keep SolarInfoPath free and accessible to all readers without charging any subscription fees.
We do not use cookies to collect sensitive personal information. We do not use cookies to build detailed personal profiles for sale to third parties. We do not use cookies to track your activity outside of what is necessary to operate this site and display relevant advertising.
Every decision we make about cookies comes back to one goal: keeping SolarInfoPath a useful, honest, and freely accessible resource for American homeowners researching solar energy. You can read more about our values and editorial independence on our About Us page.
3. Types of Cookies We Use
3.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies
These are cookies that are essential for the basic operation of our website. Without them, certain parts of the site would not function correctly. They do not collect any information that could be used to identify you personally, and they do not track your browsing activity for any marketing purpose.
Examples of what strictly necessary cookies do on SolarInfoPath include remembering your cookie consent preferences so we do not ask you the same question every single time you visit, and ensuring that pages load correctly and securely on your device.
These cookies cannot be switched off because the site would not work properly without them. However, you can set your browser to block them if you wish, though doing so may affect how the site performs for you.
3.2 Analytics Cookies
We use Google Analytics to help us understand how visitors interact with SolarInfoPath. Analytics cookies collect information such as which pages are visited most frequently, how long visitors spend reading different articles, what device and browser people use when they visit, and which parts of the United States our readers are coming from.
This information is collected in an aggregated, anonymous form. Google Analytics does not identify you as an individual. It simply gives us a broad picture of how our content is being used so we can make informed decisions about what to improve, what topics to cover next, and how to make the site easier to navigate.
For example, if our analytics data shows that a large number of visitors arrive on our Solar Installation Guide page and leave quickly without reading much, that tells us we may need to make that page easier to understand or better organized. Without analytics cookies, we would be guessing in the dark.
You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking across all websites by installing the Google Analytics Opt Out browser add-on, which is available directly from Google.
3.3 Advertising Cookies
SolarInfoPath displays advertising through Google AdSense. AdSense uses cookies to serve ads to visitors based on their interests and previous browsing behavior. These are sometimes called targeting cookies or advertising cookies.
Here is how it works in simple terms. When you visit SolarInfoPath, Google may use information about websites you have previously visited to show you ads that are more likely to be relevant to your interests. For instance, if you have recently been researching home improvement topics, you may see ads related to those topics while reading our solar energy articles.
We want to be fully transparent about this. We benefit from advertising revenue because it allows us to keep running this website at no cost to our readers. However, we do not personally control which ads appear, and we do not receive information about individual visitors from Google as part of this arrangement.
The presence of any advertisement on this site is not an endorsement of the advertiser or their products. Our editorial content, including everything in our Blogs section, is entirely independent of our advertising relationships.
If you prefer not to receive interest-based advertising from Google, you can adjust your preferences through Google Ads Settings at adssettings.google.com. You can also opt out through the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page.
3.4 Functional Cookies
Functional cookies help the website remember choices you make during your visit in order to provide a more personalized experience. On SolarInfoPath, these might include remembering whether you have previously dismissed a notice or adjusted a display preference.
These cookies do not track your activity on other websites and are not used for any advertising purpose. They simply make your experience on this site a little smoother during a given visit.
4. Third-Party Cookies
When you visit SolarInfoPath, some cookies are set not by us directly but by third-party services that we rely on to operate the site. The primary third parties whose cookies may be present on our site are Google Analytics and Google AdSense.
We do not have direct control over the cookies these services set or how they use the data they collect. Each of these companies operates under its own privacy and cookie policies, which we encourage you to review independently. Google’s privacy practices are outlined on their Privacy and Terms page at policies.google.com.
We have chosen to work only with well-established, reputable third-party services that operate transparently and in compliance with applicable privacy regulations. We review these relationships periodically to make sure they remain appropriate for a site serving American readers.
5. How Long Do Cookies Last
Different cookies remain on your device for different lengths of time depending on their purpose.
Session cookies are temporary. They exist only for the duration of your visit to SolarInfoPath and are deleted automatically when you close your browser. They are typically used for basic site functionality.
Persistent cookies remain on your device for a set period after your visit ends. This period varies depending on the cookie. Analytics cookies placed by Google Analytics typically persist for up to two years. Advertising cookies placed by Google AdSense may also persist for an extended period to allow the ad system to function properly across multiple visits.
You can view and delete cookies stored on your device at any time through your browser settings, which are explained in more detail in the section below.
6. How to Manage and Control Cookies
You have several options when it comes to managing cookies. We want to be straightforward about this: you are in control of your cookie settings, and we respect whatever choices you make.
6.1 Browser Settings
Every major web browser allows you to view, block, and delete cookies through its settings menu. The exact steps vary slightly depending on which browser you use, but generally, you can find cookie controls under the Privacy or Security section of your browser settings.
Here is a general overview of the most commonly used browsers:
In Google Chrome, go to Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Cookies and Other Site Data. From there, you can block all cookies, block third-party cookies only, or clear cookies that have already been stored.
In Mozilla Firefox, go to Settings, then Privacy and Security. Under the Cookies and Site Data section, you can manage your preferences and clear stored cookies.
In Apple Safari, go to Preferences, then Privacy. You can choose to block all cookies or prevent cross-site tracking from there.
In Microsoft Edge, go to Settings, then Cookies and Site Permissions, then Manage and Delete Cookies and Site Data to view and adjust your preferences.
Please keep in mind that blocking all cookies may affect how SolarInfoPath and other websites you visit function. Some features may not work as expected if certain cookies are disabled.
6.2 Opting Out of Google Advertising Cookies
If your main concern is advertising cookies specifically, you can opt out of personalized advertising from Google by visiting adssettings.google.com and adjusting your ad personalization settings. This does not stop ads from appearing on the site, but it does mean the ads you see will not be based on your browsing history.
6.3 Do Not Track Signals
Some browsers offer a Do Not Track setting that sends a signal to websites requesting that your activity not be tracked. At this time, there is no universal standard for how websites are required to respond to Do Not Track signals, and SolarInfoPath does not currently alter its cookie behavior based on these signals. We will update this policy if that changes.
7. Cookies and Your Personal Information
Cookies themselves do not contain your name, email address, or any other directly identifying personal information. However, in some cases, the data collected through cookies can be combined with other information in ways that could identify you, particularly in the case of advertising platforms like Google AdSense.
For a full explanation of what personal information SolarInfoPath collects, how it is used, and what rights you have as a US resident, please read our Privacy Policy page. The Privacy Policy and this Cookie Policy work together to give you a complete picture of how your information is handled when you visit our site.
8. Cookie Consent
When you first visit SolarInfoPath, you may see a notice informing you that we use cookies. This notice is designed to make sure you are aware of our cookie practices before you continue browsing. By clicking to accept or by continuing to browse the site after seeing that notice, you are consenting to our use of cookies as described in this policy.
You can withdraw your consent at any time by adjusting your browser settings as described in Section 6 above. Withdrawing consent means that some cookies will no longer be placed on your device during future visits, though it will not affect cookies that were already stored before you changed your settings.
9. Financial Impact of Cookies on Our Site
We want to be completely open about something that many websites do not address directly. The advertising cookies placed by Google AdSense are what make it possible for us to operate SolarInfoPath without charging our readers anything.
Running a content website requires ongoing investment in research, writing, editing, hosting, and maintenance. Advertising revenue covers those costs and allows us to keep publishing free, independent solar energy information for American homeowners.
We understand that not everyone is comfortable with advertising cookies, and we fully respect your right to opt out of personalized advertising. We simply want you to know that if you find value in the content on this site, those advertising cookies play a real role in making it possible for us to keep publishing it.
For detailed breakdowns of US solar costs and financial incentives that are available right now, visit our Solar Costs and Incentives page, which is one of our most regularly updated resources on the site.
10. Relationship to Our Other Legal Pages
This Cookie Policy is one part of a broader set of policies that together explain how SolarInfoPath operates and how we handle the information of our visitors. For a complete understanding of your rights and our responsibilities, we encourage you to also review our Terms and Conditions and our Disclaimer page.
Together, these documents cover everything from intellectual property and liability limitations to data collection practices and the informational nature of our solar energy content.
11. Changes to This Cookie Policy
We reserve the right to update this Cookie Policy at any time to reflect changes in the cookies we use, updates to third-party services, or changes in applicable privacy regulations. When we make changes, the updated policy will be posted on this page, and the date at the top will be revised accordingly.
We encourage you to revisit this page periodically if you are a regular reader of SolarInfoPath. Staying familiar with our current cookie practices ensures you always know what is happening when you browse our site.
12. Questions and Contact
If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy or about how cookies work on SolarInfoPath that this page has not answered, we are happy to hear from you. Visit our Contact SolarInfoPath page to send us a message, and we will respond within two to three business days.
If you are new to the site and would like to understand what SolarInfoPath is all about before diving into our content, our Home page gives you a clear and welcoming introduction to everything we offer for American homeowners exploring solar energy.
SolarInfoPath is an independent informational website. We are not affiliated with Google, any solar panel manufacturer, any installation company, or any government agency. All content is produced independently for general educational purposes and is intended for readers located in the United States.