Hi Casey,

The cost of solar photovoltaic panels is coming down. However, one of the costs not being reduced as quickly is the price of inverters. Inverters are needed to change D.C. to A.C., which is the type of current devices in your house use. A way to avoid using the inverter, is to have devices that work off D.C. only, but these devices (like refrigerators) are very pricey. So, to convert to solar power is not simple. But yes, I do think that eventually, most people will be using solar power for at least some of their energy needs.

Hi Casey,

Great question! Technically, solar energy is actually free, of course, but the equipment to harness it isn't. I suspect you are asking about the photovoltaic systems (PV) that converts sunlight to electricity, and this is actually a question lots of people are asking right now! To answer, we need to think about what is happening in energy. The fuels that we have been using for the last 100 years or so are becoming more expensive to get - mostly coal through mining, oil and natural gas through drilling. The stores that were easy to get to are gone, and we are left with the stores that are deeper, lower grade, and more environmental costly. As the cost of "convential" fuels increase, solar and wind look better and better. That is one side driving this issue.

The other side is what Mitzi described. The PV equipment costs have dramatically decreased recently, mostly in PV modules and inverters. Only 2 years ago we said the range for an installed residential (home) PV system would cost $7 - $10 per watt. Today we see that more in the $5 - $7 per watt. The cost of the modules themselves has decreased even more, with wholesale prices dropping from $4.50 per watt three years ago to under a $1 a watt for large orders now! Most experts agree that PV module prices have bottomed out, but inverters (the next major piece of equipment) set to have deep cost reductions in the next 2 years.

Additionally, as more systems are installed, we are learning how to do it faster, smarter, and with less materials. These installation costs, which are becoming more of the cost of the systems, continue to decrease.

So as convential fuel prices go up and PV equipment and installation prices go down, solar becomes more and more affordable.

Thanks for the questions,

Kelly

Hi Casey,

One more piece of this puzzle is that we are now experiencing weather changes that many believe is due to the increasing polution from burning fossil fuels. This cost to our world is hard to put a price on, but with increases in weather related destruction, we are seeing huge increases in repair and rebuilding costs. The insurance companies tell us they are experiencing record weather related costs skyrocket - and this cost is often spread over the population with taxes and increased debt - something your generation will have to come to terms with. These costs are rarely part of the conversation about how affordable solar is, but what is clear is that the burning of anything has environmental costs where the using of solar energy doesn't.

I hope that helps!

Kelly