How much do solar panels cost

[ktran1]

Can you post the companies get those quotes? I am looking for solar installer. Thanks

[J.P.M.]

Anyone interested in sharing prices? Please indicate when the quote was received and what area.
I will start. Quotes received in June 2016 for a 2- story install in Bay Area.

Those prices seem about in line, including Sunpower stuff being about a buck/Watt higher than other stuff for about equal output, quality, serviceability and service life.

Expect performance to decrease ~~ 0.4 - 0.5 %/yr. with either panel.

I'd not pay much attention to those total production/after rebate cost beyond comparison of one system to the other. The LCOE or life cycle cost/kWh will be different. than those #'s. Don't think they have much meaning in terms of actual costs - too many considerations left out.

How many quotes have you solicited ? If only one, get more.

[Versailles79]

Anyone interested in sharing prices? Please indicate when the quote was received and what area.
I will start. Quotes received in June 2016 for a 2- story install in Bay Area.

24 LG320W with Tigo Optimizers (maximizers) – 7.68kW system.
ABB PowerOne 7kW inverter to allow for system size increases if needed (upsized inverter at no extra cost)
QuickMount premium flushing solution (at no extra cost)
Monitoring hardware and software included. Sample here: http://www.tigoenergy.com/site.php?donnelly_residence (at no extra cost)
25-year Performance Guarantee: Parts, Workmanship, Output (included)
Indemnification clause (included)
$5MM coverage on the work performed on your roof

Gross system investment: $26,380
Federal tax credits: ($7,914)
Net Investment: $18,406

Payback period with permanent electric consumption offset = Year 5…$0 electric consumption bill with PG&E.
Expected output Y1 for net metering = 12,442 kWh’s
Guaranteed output Y1 for net metering = 11,059 kWh’s
25-year Guaranteed output for net metering = 259,891 kWh’s (A)
After Tax Credit Investment = $18,406 (B)
Effective SolarUnion rate with ownership under our 25-year Performance Guarantee= (B/A) = $18,406 / 259,891 kWh’s = $0.07 / kWh (locked)

……………….

SunPower 335W solution (Black on Black panels….see attached datasheet)
7680W
Module calculation: 7680W / 335W = 22.9 ~ 23

See attached proposal
23 SPWR335W with Tigo Optimizers (maximizers) – 7.71kW system.
ABB PowerOne 7kW inverter to allow for system size increases if needed (upsized inverter at no extra cost)
QuickMount premium flushing solution (at no extra cost)
Monitoring hardware and software included. Sample here: http://www.tigoenergy.com/site.php?donnelly_residence
25-year Performance Guarantee: Parts, Workmanship, Output (included)
Indemnification clause (included)
$5MM coverage on the work performed on your roof

Gross system investment: $33,513
Federal tax credits: ($10,053)
Net Investment: $23,460

Payback period with permanent electric consumption offset = Year 6…$0 electric consumption bill with PG&E.
Expected output Y1 for net metering = 12,482 kWh’s
Guaranteed output Y1 for net metering = 11,095 kWh’s
25-year Guaranteed output for net metering = 260,737 kWh’s (A)
After Tax Credit Investment = $23,460 (B)
Effective SolarUnion rate with ownership under our 25-year Performance Guarantee= (B/A) = $23,460 / 260,737 kWh’s = $0.09 / kWh (locked)

[SunEagle]

ok. thank you, suneagle..

You are welcome.

[rufusincognitus]

ok. thank you, suneagle..

[SunEagle]

some solar companies will only install roof mounted panels and not on the ground. what's the difference??

A ground mount is usually more expensive then a basic roof top installation. There are also some additional design and permitting required for the support structure the panels sit on. A lot of installers may not want to go through the extra hurdles to do a ground mount.

[rufusincognitus]

some solar companies will only install roof mounted panels and not on the ground. what's the difference??

[SunEagle]

May be solar panels are expensive at first but you just need to invest once and always take benefit of solar energy. The cost of solar panel also depend on the company from which company you are installing solar panel. I have installed solar light in my home and the company provide me solar energy in a very cheap rate.

What is a "very cheap rate" and how much ($/watt) did it cost you to install your system?

In some places even a system at $2/watt would take more than 10 years to pay for itself because electricity from the Power utility is cheap. Other places even $4/watt for a solar pv system can pay for itself in 5 years because the cost of electricity is very high.

[BrentEMarvin]

May be solar panels are expensive at first but you just need to invest once and always take benefit of solar energy. The cost of solar panel also depend on the company from which company you are installing solar panel. I have installed solar light in my home and the company provide me solar energy in a very cheap rate.

[SunEagle]

Sounds about right. Any Joe who looks around can find racking at ~$0.23/w (IronRidge), decent panels at ~$0.59/w and inverters (SMA) for $0.32/w. Add in wiring, soladeck etc, all told $1.32/w sounds about right.

I am not saying that you couldn't find all of the components to build a working system which ends up costing you less than $1.50/watt.

What I am saying is that finding quality solar hardware components to build the system for that low cost will not be the norm. So if you say it is easy to repeat the process multiple times I would say I find that hard to believe. Unless you want to provide specific sites to purchase that equipment.

[DaveDE2]

Solar PV system prices will vary widely, but just as a baseline - Solar equipment (panels, inverters, racking + all the other miscellaneous stuff) is currently costing me about $1.32/watt wholesale.

Sounds about right. Any Joe who looks around can find racking at ~$0.23/w (IronRidge), decent panels at ~$0.59/w and inverters (SMA) for $0.32/w. Add in wiring, soladeck etc, all told $1.32/w sounds about right.

[solarix]

You must be purchasing that stuff in large "lots" to get such a low price.

Nope, and the well-known distributors I work with (not sunelec) are such whores, they will allow anybody to qualify as a dealer as long as you pay cash up front and can unload a semi-truck. We don't scrimp on quality either - only name brand mainstream PV brands and pretty much only SMA inverters these days. We do however have our own racking system fabricated from standard aluminum stock and approved by a local PE for our use. The last 4 pallets of Q-cells I got were only 69cents/w!

[SunEagle]

Solar PV system prices will vary widely, but just as a baseline - Solar equipment (panels, inverters, racking + all the other miscellaneous stuff) is currently costing me about $1.32/watt wholesale.

You must be purchasing that stuff in large "lots" to get such a low price.

[solarix]

Solar PV system prices will vary widely, but just as a baseline - Solar equipment (panels, inverters, racking + all the other miscellaneous stuff) is currently costing me about $1.32/watt wholesale.

[J.P.M.]

SAM (and no other calculatotor that I'm aware of) assumes no replacement cost during the period. A string inverter may last only 10 years or it may last 25. Much of that has to do with the environment it's in, how hard it has been running and just plain luck. I think the calculators are optomistic, they assume no equipment failures.

The cost of equipment failures can be estimated and added to annual maint. costs. The lost production due to equipment failures can be estimated and added to system (un)availability.