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kristopher

(29,798 posts)
2. The balance of system costs in the US really need work
Mon Feb 18, 2013, 08:40 PM
Feb 2013

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. That’s a pretty huge difference. And it’s 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
There's space for saving in battery and inverter technologies as well. AtheistCrusader Feb 2013 #1
The balance of system costs in the US really need work kristopher Feb 2013 #2
What do you mean by 'steered' anyway. ... CRH Feb 2013 #4
'Steered' means it follows the sun for improved efficiency. AtheistCrusader Feb 2013 #5
Thank you for the thorough explanation, n/t CRH Feb 2013 #7
China's government is not owned by international petroleum corporations nt msongs Feb 2013 #3
But it is run by slave labor dbackjon Feb 2013 #8
Not at all... kristopher Feb 2013 #11
Can you prove that? dbackjon Feb 2013 #12
Another nuclear fan that is allergic to hard data... nt kristopher Feb 2013 #17
Since you never provide hard data, LMAO at you dbackjon Feb 2013 #18
That's what they'll sell them for... FBaggins Feb 2013 #6
But don't bitch when U.S. manufacturers shut down OnlinePoker Feb 2013 #9
Do you have any actual data to back up your claims? kristopher Feb 2013 #10
Try Google. Anyone with a brain and an open mind knows this. dbackjon Feb 2013 #13
This message was self-deleted by its author NNadir Feb 2013 #14
Slight exageration on wages OnlinePoker Feb 2013 #15
That I knew but it doesn't quantify the impact on final price. kristopher Feb 2013 #16
Environmental factors are the largest contributor to costs. joshcryer Feb 2013 #19
No, they aren't - it isn't even a factor big enough to count. kristopher Feb 2013 #20
That's not an environmental response, that's an economics response. joshcryer Feb 2013 #21
You made an inaccurate argument about the economic effect of environmental regulation. kristopher Feb 2013 #22
And you returned with nothing about the environment. joshcryer Feb 2013 #23
Once more for the hard of hearing kristopher Feb 2013 #24
The external costs of pollution are not "virtually nil." joshcryer Feb 2013 #25
. kristopher Feb 2013 #26
Pollution has a long term economic effect, kristopher. joshcryer Feb 2013 #27
that's not what you were talking about kristopher Feb 2013 #28
They have to pay the piper either way. joshcryer Feb 2013 #29
It seems like only yesterday that $1/watt was the Holy Grail of solar... kristopher Feb 2013 #30
A review of China's progress in the last 22 months kristopher Feb 2013 #31
Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Environment & Energy»Chinese Companies Project...»Reply #2