High-efficiency Solar Panel Prices Drop While Solar Storage Options Soar 

You're a certified news junky.  We knew it.  On top of that, you are an accredited lover of solar energy.  We also knew that.  Lastly, you are a noted deal seeker.  Yep, we got your number. So, now that we have an understanding that we understand your tastes, we have some excellent news for you concerning the massive price drop in high-efficiency solar panels over the past year.  Also, we have caught indications that solar battery systems will be a viable solution for peak electricity demand. 

High-efficiency Solar Panel Prices Drop 

Last year, there was a lot of movement in the solar panel pricing market.  Cped almost 40 percent. High-performance solar panels are shifting toward being extremely cost-effective.  Also a notable market point last year shows us that Monocrystalline solar panel costs fell from $0.72/Watt to $0.45/W.  That demonstrates a 37.5% drop. Monocrystalline solar panels ordinarily operate about 10% more efficiently than polycrystalline solar panels due to the type of silicon used in construction and are presently and typically only 6% more costly. 

China, A Market Influencer

China is a strong market influencer.  They are the leading the world for solar cell production, and have invested more in monocrystalline technologies, prices worldwide have responded.  As a top producer, the price drop could be China’s “Top Runner Program.” The program is a government incentive arrangement that sets a significant threshold for module conversion efficiency and subsequently has encouraged monocrystalline panel construction and price decreases.

Storage and Solar Equals Low Costs

Being in the business of supplying the market at a maximized profit margin, solar manufacturers are paying close attention to ways they can innovate.  

These solar corporations realize both the potential of monocrystalline solar cells and the market demand for high-efficiency solar panels. New technology is a constant market supply curve shifter.  With innovation comes shifts in supply and we may see a day soon where less efficient polycrystalline solar panels drop out of existence as customers lose interest in goods with lower energy production as the similar cost to high-efficiency options emerge. One thing is for sure, the continued shift toward lower prices exemplifies that there is still a lot of growth to be made in the industry, as more customers will demand a low-cost supply.

Solar and batteries are pulling ahead of natural gas

It may come as astonishing to find out that solar panel power, paired with battery storage, is becoming the requested option for peak power supplementation. In recent news, First Solar won a bid with Arizona’s most significant utility to build a 65 megawatt (MW) solar farm connected to a 50 MW battery system. Over the on the other side of the country, in Florida, a utility just installed a battery system fueled by solar. And, it The Golden State, California, state regulators have brought PG&E in the fray to begin using non-fossil fuel resources like batteries rivaled with solar to meet peak demand.  It is indeed an exciting time. 

Similar projects discussed previously have the ability to rival natural gas plants.   With solar-plus storage’s ability to meet energy demands even during peak hours, they are now deemed as a significant competitor. For the Arizona utility that chose First Solar, system electricity demand usually peaks between 3 pm and 8 pm. The solar farm will generate power and store it in the battery system during the day, so that when demand peaks, the utility can depend on the stored electricity in the battery system to meet that need.

This critical duo, Solar + storage is paving its way to a permanent fixture of states solar energy requirements.  All of this means savings for us all.  As the renewable source of this type of energy system comes from the sun, we can imagine a future nation with little costs.  This type of news should make the deal seeking, solar loving, news junkies jump for joy. 

If you want to move into the future and join the solar revolution, or if you want to find out what solar panels are right for you, go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. You can see how much a system will cost, and how much you can save over the next 20 years. 

For more information relating to going solar, don't forget to visit our solar blog section for more handy guides and articles.