NYT: When Power Goes Out, Sun Still Rises (state of solar energy)

[DeepModem Mom]

When the Power Goes Out, the Sun Still Rises

By MATTHEW L. WALD
Published: August 12, 2004


....In the 1980's, solar energy was pitched as a path to energy independence. More recently, the rationales have shifted toward the pleasure of ownership, coupled with the attraction of a fallback source of power.

Few solar advocates expect the investment to pay off quickly, even when softened by tax rebates and other subsidies. And few install enough panels or batteries for total independence....

***

Clean, quiet and homegrown, solar power appeals to early adopters, including many businesses, electric companies and homeowners. Sales of solar cells in the United States increased sevenfold between 1993 and 2002, according to the Energy Information Administration. (Information on home solar systems is at www.nrel.gov/solar, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Web site.)

Prices for solar panels have come down about 40 percent in the last decade, but economies remain elusive. When the equipment is amortized, solar ends up costing about 25 cents a kilowatt-hour, about four times the cost of conventional electricity....

(Much more in this article about solar options and costs.)


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/12/garden/12SOLA.html