Record-Breaking Solar Costs

Record-breaking is fascinating.  We all seem to enjoy being witness to new milestones.  Whether it's pie eating marathon endurance running, it is exciting and relevant to note when these milestones are reached.  In the world of solar, a recent milestone was also achieved.  For the first time, in spite of Trump's intended coal re-instigation for the countries power needs, a  solar auction in Nevada just produced the most affordable solar project in the country.  Also notable, the plant will operate with lower costs than new natural gas and coal plants. Sunny states like Nevada are showing this clear trend of solar power shifting toward cost-competitive usage.  

The Government Helps The Cost Of Solar

Government is vital to helping the solar market to continue to make these record gains in many places; however, it appears that the speed and strength of this bull industry sector are heading into a full gallop. There’s a 30 percent federal investment tax credit for solar projects to help bring down the cost of solar projects across the United States. 

The size and cost of the plant easily beat the cheapest confirmed solar project in the country.  The former leader was a pathetic 30-megawatt farm in Arizona.  This new effort was part of a way to renovate the deteriorating Navajo Generating Station; a project which was auctioned for the underwhelming price of $24.99 per megawatt-hour. The Nevada auction also included some projects with battery linked utility-scale solar infrastructures. Solar plus storage mastery will be crucial for renewable energy platforms like solar to dominate fossil fuels. Unfortunately, these solar-based energy sources only collect and generate power when it’s sunny, but as these milestones keep being reached, we can see the world moving in the right direction.  

The Sunny States Help The Cost Of Solar

A critical portion of the equation for the success of all these projects has to do with that fact that they are located in the sun-drenched Southwest. Geography plays a massive part in keeping solar prices minimal. However, it is good news that increasingly efficient technology also helps.  Experts have been indicating that states like Texas, California, and Colorado will help to lead their own milestone solar energy low-costs in the next few years.

Although it has appeared that Trump administration is making deals to utilize fossil fuels at the expense of renewables, these moves still aren’t enough to push solar off the map of affordable and wise energy sourcing. Trump's tariffs brought out this year versus cheap solar panels imported from China could ultimately discourage installations, which add roughly 10 percent to the cost of utility-scale designs.  Yet, the future is bright, and this revolution is only getting started, so prices might only be set back a year or two at the most.  

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.