But to view solar panels as a commodity in the same way that eggs or copper are commodities is simply inaccurate.
Commodity prices of a solar panel.
First solar s panels aren t the most efficient in the industry with 17 to 18 2 efficiency converting the sun s energy into electricity but they produce energy more of the time than commodity.
When demand dropped in mid 2018 solar panel prices went with it.
Solar panel price per kilowatt hour.
Ultimately there are many factors that figure into the price per watt of a solar system but the average cost is typically as low as 2 75 per watt.
As suntech engineer stefan jarnason wrote in greentech media if solar.
Prices include the federal solar tax credit itc and vary drastically based on the amount of sunlight and type of solar panels installed.
September 12 2020 the average cost of installed residential solar power systems is currently 2 60 per watt.
Calculations by the author.
Solar panel cost data 2020 updated.
Market experts estimate that the impact of the tariff in year 1 will be between 0 10 to 0 12 per watt.
For a typical american homeowner that represents only a 3 to 4 increase in the cost of a solar panel installation.
Bnef estimates that by the end of 2018 commodity solar panel prices will drop to 0 24 per watt.
Residential solar energy costs 0 08 to 0 10 per kwh on average and commercial or utility scale solar power costs 0 06 to 0 08 per kilowatt hour.
This corresponds to a recent analysis conducted by greentech media.
Certainly panel prices have dropped rapidly over the past few years and talk has abounded of more customers making product choices based primarily on cost.