solar panels prices
Renewable energy and solar energy in particular seem to be constantly in the news these days, as the threat posed by climate change and global warming hangs ominously over us and our planet. This threat has been attributed to carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels, which are used to generate the electricity we use in our homes.
The supply of fossil fuels is rapidly diminishing, causing the cost of electricity to increase just as rapidly. As a result, many people are seriously looking at solar energy as a means to not only reduce their electricity bill, which they anticipate with increasing dread every month, but also to help slow down global warming and hopefully save the planet for future generations.
One of the concerns people have when considering going solar is the cost of having a solar electric system installed. There are several components that go into a system, and the most expensive of these is usually the solar panels. Why is that? We’ll examine the reasons and look at the various options available.
Choose Your Panel Carefully
Solar panels are usually thought of as big rectangular frames of metal and glass. And this is the most common type of panel seen in the majority of PV (photovoltaic) systems. But, technology known as thin-film is also available and is making bigger inroads into the solar panel market.
These panels are created using amorphous (non-crystalline) cells, which are placed on a variety of surfaces, including plastic, metal, etc. Due to the lower-cost materials involved, the cost of manufacturing these panels is relatively inexpensive, which results in the panels being sold at lower retail prices. The price of thin-film modules is about $1.70 per watt.
The price of these panels is very attractive and, as a result, their popularity is increasing and they’re expected to command about a 30% share of the solar panel market in a few years time. The main drawback of this type of panel is their lack of efficiency, which means that about 15-40% more space is needed to accommodate the number of panels needed to match the output of standard crystalline panels.
Standard crystalline panels, the ones referred to above as being the most commonly used in rooftop systems, are significantly more expensive, currently costing around $2.70 per watt. The reason why these are so much more expensive than thin-film panels is the fact that the manufacturing process for this type of panel is so much more complex, and, therefore, more expensive. However, crystalline panels are more efficient than thin-film, so the increased cost is offset by the increased efficiency.
At The End Of The Day
In the end, the choice of which type of panel makes sense for a particular application will come down to the choice of site and space available and aesthetics. Thin-film modules can be integrated into a roof’s materials or glued to a roof, whereas no such option is currently available with standard crystalline panels, which can sometimes be regarded as an eyesore.
The thing to bear in mind when considering solar panels in general is that they usually carry a warranty of 25-30 years, and can achieve payback within 5-10 years, after which the electricity they supply will be free of charge and free of pollutants.
At the end of the day, it’s a win-win situation for the owner of the PV system and the planet.
The exciting news where solar technology is concerned is that it’s a relatively young technology, which has seen the price of solar panels come down dramatically in just the last 5 years, and will see the price of panels come down even more dramatically as the technology comes to full maturity and solar is adopted more widely, as it surely will.
In future, it may be that the cost of a single solar panel will cost less than filling up your car with gas as panel prices continue to decline while gas prices continue to soar. What a wonderful world that will be!
Grab your FREE report, and get more information on the cost of solar panels and much more by clicking on the only solar power resource you’ll need. Ray Boreham suggests you’ll find a wealth of information and tips on solar and renewable energy at http://www.all-you-need-is-solar.com/
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