Solar Prices Plummeting?

[svetz]

As the recession takes hold and oil prices plummet, will solar prices plummet too? Seems to be the case as one member reports:

...One of the quotes I received was surprisingly attractive, $1.81/Watt....

From: https://www.greentechmedia.com/arti...to-the-coronavirus-giving-solar-away-for-free

The coronavirus outbreak has led to novel attempts at adaptation in the U.S. rooftop solar industry. Most companies are shifting sales online. Others have started giving solar energy away for next to nothing.

Will this herald in a new age of residential solar? Hard to say. One of the things the Covid demonstrates is the fragility of the world, so having your own energy source is very attractive. But overall it's doubtful, with many people out of work they'll be battening the financial hatches and a lot of solar companies will fail. It will be tough on all the industry, from batteries through panels until the economy starts to recover and people have more money to spend. As people stop buying and their inventory builds up I think you can expect some record low prices.

 

[kernel]

As the recession takes hold and oil prices plummet, will solar prices plummet too? Seems to be the case as one member reports:




From: https://www.greentechmedia.com/arti...to-the-coronavirus-giving-solar-away-for-free


Will this herald in a new age of residential solar? Hard to say. One of the things the Covid demonstrates is the fragility of the world, so having your own energy source is very attractive. But overall it's doubtful, with many people out of work they'll be battening the financial hatches and a lot of solar companies will fail. It will be tough on all the industry, from batteries through panels until the economy starts to recover and people have more money to spend. As people stop buying and their inventory builds up I think you can expect some record low prices.

The expensive part is the wheel-burros full of cash an mc4 connector will cost soon.

 

[tictag]

I think one thing this epidemic has taught is is that we are overly dependant on imported goods from places like China, where the entire country can be brought to a stop at the whim of the government. That, imho, will create an increased demand for 'home grown' products, which will undoubtedly be more expensive.

Hasn't the US recently banned drone imports from China? The UK is certainly curtailing Chinese technology imports in the telecommunications sector e.g. Huwawei.

With a US president elected on a 'Make America Great Again' agenda and the UK now (almost) free to build trading relationships with whomever she pleases, I think both governments / societies will seek to curtail this 'cheap imports from China' global phenomenon.

My guess is that Trump's recent anti-Chinese rhetoric e.g. "The Chinese virus", "Designed in a Chinese laboratory" is simply a precursor to an all-out trade war with China, building up public support for potentially radically new doctrine.

Will all this lead to cheaper solar? No.

 

[Supervstech]

The expensive part is the wheel-burros full of cash an mc4 connector will cost soon.

Heh... I’ve got 1000 m/f sets...

bwuhahaha!

 

[kernel]

It takes wire nuts to electrify a village! Wire nuts will be the standard connector soon........

 

[45North]

It takes wire nuts to electrify a village! Wire nuts will be the standard connector soon........

Personally, I like the lever nuts. Have a multi pack for 2, 3, 4, 5 wires.

 

[Supervstech]

I visit hardware stores often...

and from the open bags I see on the shelves thieves prefer the lever nuts...

 

[kernel]

Personally, I like the lever nuts. Have a multi pack for 2, 3, 4, 5 wires.

I like them too, but they are unobtainium once we are beyond the thunderdome!

 

[KohalaJim]

I recently bought (9) of the HQST 100W mono panels in one of Will's sponsored Amazon links early in April @ $85 each delivered. Just checked them today and their down to $80 delivered. Had I known then what I know now, I'd had an extra $45 bucks for other widgets.

 

[MichaelK]

Two weeks ago I just bought another four grid-tie panels, 1000W worth for 220$ Prices have been below 25cents per watt for a while now.