PV Cost Down 99% since 1977 (Chart)

[kristopher]

Must-See Chart: Cost Of PV Cells Has Dropped An Amazing 99% Since 1977, Bringing Solar Power To Grid Parity



The price of solar photovoltaic cells has dropped 99% in the past quarter century. So in an increasing number of markets around the country, solar is at or very close to grid parity.

Consider Colorado. The Denver Business Journal reported last month the results of months-long competitive bidding process:

Xcel Energy Inc. is proposing to triple the amount of utility-scale solar power on its grid in Colorado, and add another 450 megawatts of wind power….
If approved, the plan would cut Xcel’s carbon dioxide emissions by more than one-third compared to 2005 levels.

David Eves, the CEO of Xcel’s Colorado subsidiary in the state told the Journal solar power is now cost-competitive with natural gas-fired generation:

“This is the first time that we’ve seen, purely on a price basis, that the solar projects made the cut — without considering carbon costs or the need to comply with a renewable energy standard — strictly on an economic basis.”

If solar power is seeing this kind of growth strictly on a cost basis, imagine ...

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/10/06/2717791/cost-pv-cells-solar-power-grid-parity/

[legcramp]

1. Most technology is

I paid over 5 grand for my 1st cell phone. And at one point an 8 MEG, not gig, memory upgrade for a 386 server was almost $4000.

Times do change.

[kristopher]

2. Most head down, but not all

[kristopher]

3. Source for Chart in post #2

The Economics of Nuclear Reactors: Renaissance or Relapse Cooper, 2009 pg.3

http://www.nonuclear.se/files/cooper200906economics_of_nuclear_reactors.pdf