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Ouch. That's probably worth it.

I keep wanting to install this stuff, but I just know in my heart of hearts as soon as I buy it something much better will come out. I've heard a lot of good stuff about on-panel inverters recently, for example.



Maybe a little modularity and standardization is called for. Seems like something that would improve the upgrade ability of users might help increase the number of adopters.

There are parallels in the Audio Electronics industry. At first, each manufacturer did things their own way, and only the hardiest of early adopters bothered with Hi Fi. Then manufacturers adopted standards for input impedances and interconnects, and this made the buying decision less fraught. If you made the wrong choice or could later afford something better, you could swap out a component. Now that the price of building electronics is so low, audio is going towards all-in-one convenience.


Don't feel bad about waiting... solar power will be as cheap as, or cheaper than, other electrical power by 2015-2020: http://www.tiogaenergy.com/tioga-news-solar-power-boom.php


They've been saying that since the 1980's.

When the price of oil goes up everyone expects solar to finally be cheaper - except that when the price of oil (AKA energy) goes up the manufacturing price for solar cells goes up to.


Well, there have been a couple of major gains in manufacturing efficiency and they have chosen not to lower their prices.

I am guessing as long as they have high demand they see no need to drop the price.

String ribbon technology and amorphous thin film (flex panels) are a lot cheaper to make... at least they claimed so earlier on.




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