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In reply to the discussion: Chinese Companies Projected To Make Solar Panels for 42 Cents Per Watt In 2015 [View all]kristopher
(29,798 posts)2. The balance of system costs in the US really need work
I agree with you and the examples you've proffered - there are still many technical opportunities to improve the overall delivered cost of electricity from solar. This makes the case that there is a lot of policy work involved also.
$2.24/Watt vs $4.44/Watt: Solar in Germany vs Solar in the US
June 2012
As reported previously, Germany had about 21.6 times more solar power installed per capita at the end of 2011 than the US (301.47 MW per million people versus 13.973 MW per million people). In absolute numbers, Germany had about 5.63 times more solar power installed (24,678 MW versus 4,383 MW). These differences also translate into big differences in solar costs, as the most recent installation cost numbers show.
According to BSW Solar, the average cost of installed solar power per watt peak was 1.776, or $2.24, in Q2 of 2012 (as we noted back in May). By contrast, as the most recent GTM Research and SEIA U.S. Solar Market Insight report finds, the average price per watt for solar in the US was $4.44 in Q1 of 2012. Thats a pretty huge difference. And its just a testament of what strong solar policy can do for solar power costs.
Since Germany is dominated by rooftop systems (72 percent of installations in 2011), this is an impressively low number, Greentech Media writes. Assuming a module price of around $0.90 per watt peak, this implies an average balance of system cost of $1.34 per watt peak....
Clean Technica (http://s.tt/1f7zF)
Read more at http://cleantechnica.com/2012/06/19/2-24watt-vs-4-44watt-solar-germany-vs-solar-us/#f3FgkqWgUy3bxbWy.99
June 2012
As reported previously, Germany had about 21.6 times more solar power installed per capita at the end of 2011 than the US (301.47 MW per million people versus 13.973 MW per million people). In absolute numbers, Germany had about 5.63 times more solar power installed (24,678 MW versus 4,383 MW). These differences also translate into big differences in solar costs, as the most recent installation cost numbers show.
According to BSW Solar, the average cost of installed solar power per watt peak was 1.776, or $2.24, in Q2 of 2012 (as we noted back in May). By contrast, as the most recent GTM Research and SEIA U.S. Solar Market Insight report finds, the average price per watt for solar in the US was $4.44 in Q1 of 2012. Thats a pretty huge difference. And its just a testament of what strong solar policy can do for solar power costs.
Since Germany is dominated by rooftop systems (72 percent of installations in 2011), this is an impressively low number, Greentech Media writes. Assuming a module price of around $0.90 per watt peak, this implies an average balance of system cost of $1.34 per watt peak....
Clean Technica (http://s.tt/1f7zF)
Read more at http://cleantechnica.com/2012/06/19/2-24watt-vs-4-44watt-solar-germany-vs-solar-us/#f3FgkqWgUy3bxbWy.99
And a big part of the problem lies in "soft cost"
http://www.rmi.org/simple
See also:
http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy13osti/56806.pdf
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Chinese Companies Projected To Make Solar Panels for 42 Cents Per Watt In 2015 [View all]
kristopher
Feb 2013
OP
You made an inaccurate argument about the economic effect of environmental regulation.
kristopher
Feb 2013
#22