New Low Cost Solar Panels Ready for Mass Production

[cfg83]

Hello -

This looks promising :

Colorado's State Univ.'s panels will cost less than $1 per watt.
Compiled By Adrienne Selko
http://www.industryweek.com/ReadArti...rticleID=14932

Sept. 10, 2007 -- Colorado State University's method for manufacturing low-cost, high-efficiency solar panels is nearing mass production. AVA Solar Inc. will start production by the end of next year on the technology developed by mechanical engineering Professor W.S. Sampath at Colorado State. The new 200-megawatt factory is expected to employ up to 500 people. Based on the average household usage, 200 megawatts will power 40,000 U.S. homes.

Produced at less than $1 per watt, the panels will dramatically reduce the cost of generating solar electricity and could power homes and businesses around the globe with clean energy for roughly the same cost as traditionally generated electricity
...
The cost to the consumer could be as low as $2 per watt, about half the current cost of solar panels. In addition, this solar technology need not be tied to a grid, so it can be affordably installed and operated in nearly any location

What is the current consumer price per watt for PV panels? The article implies $4 per watt.

Hrmmmm. I *think* a 2KW home PV system costs somewhere above $10K (before incentives). 10K divided by 2K is 5, so that would imply more than $5 per watt.

CarloSW2

[trebuchet03]

I think $3-$5 is still a reasonable estimate...

http://www.avasolar.com/

Efficiency isn't the highest (~11.5&#37 -- but the low cost is awesome The efficiency also looks pretty stable according to their data.

So, I'm willing to bet the low cost is a result of continuous manufacturing... Versus silk screening which requires batch screening, drying, sintering, etc. Hopefully it's no flop

[Erdrick]

Solar is still a bit of rich-man's product. It is nice to hear of developments like this, but I am still not holding out for an off the grid house quite yet...

[GasSavers_Ryland]

Yes, they can make it cheap, but how long will it last? current tecnolagy has been proven in the real world to last 50+ years, other forms of lower cost solar last 10-20 years, if the up front cost is half, and it only lasts one quarter as long, then over all the cost is dubble.

[2TonJellyBean]

Ryland... and even more if you factor in replacement labor

[trebuchet03]

Originally Posted by Ryland

Yes, they can make it cheap, but how long will it last? current technology has been proven in the real world to last 50+ years, other forms of lower cost solar last 10-20 years, if the up front cost is half, and it only lasts one quarter as long, then over all the cost is dubble.

I think it's too new to know that.... Current tech has been proven 50+ years because 50+ years has passed We're not quite sure when exactly they're just going give up But that's why this company is stressing stability.

I found another company making CdTe PV's...

http://www.firstsolar.com/

They already have solar power plants in Germany and plans to up the production. I'm not saying buy now, just playing devil's advocate as the only reason current tech has proven itself is because it hasn't died since we started (Another Awesome thing from Bell Labs - 1954)

[WisJim]

If they actually go into production at a $1 a watt retail, and look at all good, I'll be buying at least a kilowatt to add to our current system. My first 4 panels at 35 watts each cost more than $1000, and that was over 20 years ago, back when a dollar could still buy something, and the local electric co-op charged $.03 a kw-hr (now it is closer to $.10).