US solar costs drop 30 per cent over ten years

21st October 2009

Findings from a report produced by researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab suggest that the average cost of going solar in the US dropped by more than 30 per cent between 1998 and 2008. The findings also show that costs decreased by 3.6 per cent between 2007 and 2008.

In 2008, the US solar market experienced record growth, nearly doubling the amount of grid-connected PV installed annually. Key findings of the report are that the average installed costs paid by the system owner declined from $10.80 per Watt in 1998 to $7.5 per Watt in 2008, due to a reduction in non-module costs.

The second Tracking in the Sun report, called Tracking the Sun II: The Installed Cost of Photovoltaics in the US from 1998-2008, provides a cost analysis of grid-connected photovoltaic systems in the US. The second edition report analyses data from more than 52,000 residential and non-residential solar systems that were installed between 1998 and 2008.

Carrie Cullen Hitt, president of solar manufacturer association the Solar Alliance, said, ‘In states like California and New Jersey that have committed to supporting renewables, solar energy has in fact become more accessible for consumers and created strong local green economies.’

Adam Browning, executive director of the non-profit organization Vote Solar Initiative, said, ‘This all means there has never been a better time for energy customers to go solar or for our government leaders to invest in building a new solar economy.’

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