Solar Panel Prices Drop Dramatically

Prices for solar panels are falling fast. Compared to a year ago, prices for panels and installed systems are about 25 percent less, retailers and installers say.

Combined with a 30 percent rebate offered by the U.S. government, plus rebates offered by many states, some buyers are paying a little less than $16,000 for systems that would have cost twice that a year ago.

"Solar is now affordable for people for whom it wasn't before," says Jeff Wolfe, CEO of groSolar, a Vermont solar-panel system installer and distributor.

California entrepreneurs, who call themselves One Block Off the Grid, are getting even better prices by organizing home owners into buying groups.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, Cassandra Sweet (09/08/2009)