Then Google Happened

I joined Google as a software engineer in early 2007.  One of the most enjoyable benefits (in addition to the fabulous food) is the vast array of 'Tech Talks' presented by Googlers and their friends.  There were a series of Tech Talks dealing with taking advantage of solar energy, including solar PV systems, which I attended.

One such Tech Talk, presented by a couple of Googlers, discussed their own residential solar PV investment and covered the cost, the effects of shading, equipment, and much more.  Google itself had started an installation of solar PV at their Mountain View facility which would ultimately have the capacity to produce up to 14.5 mW of electricity.

Another Tech Talk presented new technologies being developed that looked very exciting.  One particular technology in which Google has invested uses a printing technique for making sheets of PV material with a per-watt cost approaching $1.

Cost is one critical factor when deciding if a solar PV investment is reasonable.  Historically, PV panels have been very expensive, affordable only by NASA and a few remote facilities where shipping fuel in would be impossible.  Current prices for panels are hovering around $4 per watt.  But wait, there's a lot more involved:

• Inverters
• Protective devices
• Racking
• Batteries
• Synchronization devices
• Cabling
• Installation

Add all of this up and the final per watt cost will range from $7 to $13 per watt.

At those prices you can estimate that a 5 kW system would cost from $35,000 to $65,000.

Not cheap, eh!

Enter Uncle Sam with their 30% tax credit for renewable energy systems.  Get it while you can!  That would reduce the costs of a 5 kW system to something in the range of $25,000 to $46,000.

I'll do a little cost-benefit analysis in a future installment.