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mike s Hi, When do you see solar energy becoming more affordable to say lower class? Right now, isn't it pretty much a commercial, as well as an upper class luxury in most cases, kind of like talk about electric/gas mix vehicles getting 100 mpg.

I wouldn't call solar energy a "luxury", more like an invesment. Its true, right now  the initial investment is high with a medium term payoff (many years, even with government subsidies).  Solar panel prices are coming down, but most people will still have to hire the labor to install the system, and labor costs don't drop by large factors.  So the barrier is for people with insufficient means to make the initial capital investment.

There are some clever finanacing schemes.  For new construction, a solar photovoltaic system would not add a large fractoin to the price of the house, and since most buyer take out a 30 year loan, the extra in the monthly payment would be small, less than the savings in the utility bill, so the decision to go solar would start paying for itself on day one!  The City of Berkeley is discussing the idea that the City pays (loans) for the solar installation, and it would get its money back by utility fees normally collect by the electric company.

 Solar panel sales are increasing by more that 50% per year, so i do expect the economics to improve in the next 5 years. I already installed  solar panels on my roof, and don't pay much for electricity (they stll charge for the connection to the grid).

 

Cheers

John Vallerga

 

You're right that solar electric systems are expensive. I can't say when solar electric products will become affordable for everyone. However I have been involved in affordable and community housing projects (like apartment buildings) which included solar electric systems. During the day the residents used the solar electricity, and the building owner got the credit for the power generated.

I''ve also done projects for low-income families that are very low cost solar. But these are not solar electric systems. They are solar water heating systems that can be built buy a homeowner or renter; solar cookers made from cardboard and aluminum foil that can cook anything you'd make in a regular oven; solar air collectors which attach to existing south-facing walls on home for space heating.