How solar energy got so cheap

Cheap solar is a policy success story.

Since 2009, the price of solar energy has come down by 90 percent. That’s no accident. It’s the result of policy interventions from the US to Germany to China.

If we can learn the right lessons from solar’s success, it could help us develop and deploy the technology we need to keep our planet habitable and avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

Vox is an explanatory newsroom on a mission to help everyone understand our weird, wonderful, complicated world, so that we can all help shape it. Part of that mission is keeping our work free.

[Piratewaffle]

Man, Reagan really took a look at everything cool America was doing and took that personally.

[ncubesays]

If anything, solar technology is going to be extremely transformational in the development of the global south. Cities in my country Zimbabwe have been installing solar powered street lighting, saving millions in their energy bills.

[pavarottiaardvark]

Adds another thing to the "Ronald Reagan ruined it" list

[eineperson]

As a german, it makes me sad that 20 years ago, we were doing so well and now, after 16 years of conservative governments with ties to the coal industry, we're lacking behind so greatly...

[HeisenbergFam]

Energy got cheaper while housing market more expensive, what a time to be alive

[harveyprobz]

I remember learning about solar power in junior high in 07-09. My tech teacher said you’d only find solar panels on the homes of rich people. Fast forward to now and there are middle class homes across the city with owners who can afford to put solar panels on their homes if they choose.

[adelasgar]

This research is more about economical side of how and why it got cheaper. One of the main reason of price drop was changing the material inside of solar panel. Back in 60's solar panels were used mainly in space applications and GaAs (Gallium Arsenide) were main material in panels in satellites. Then for commercial purposes mono silicas started to produce massively and then to drop the price we started to apply polysilicons, which has a little bit less efficiency, but produces more energy than mono cells. So, in conclusion, usage of cheaper yet effective elements made a key part in price drop as well, which weren't included here. (And yet because silica being not environmentally friendly, we're trying to find new better materials such as Perovskite based cells)

[bryllemutia]

"Eventhough Germany is not the sunniest place in the world."

I felt that.

[TheSucram]

“Something good is happening in my country? Not on my watch” -Ronald Reagan

[epretzel]

I’ve been telling everyone for years, when I was in grad school for chemistry the groups that had the most money, publications, and success were always the ones that did research on solar. I have no doubt it’s the way it’s the way of the future

[Tesserex]

I got solar installed last summer. Expensive up front, but after tax credit and rebates was estimated to be about $16k. It's already made back over $1500 in under 10 months, putting me on track for ~8 year breakeven. Even better, I was informed a while back that the SREC prices went up, meaning my rebate amount will go up by about $2300, so my actual net cost will be around $14k. I'm in the Chicago suburbs, not exactly where you'd think of first for cost effective solar.

[djgalebcn]

On top of that now in Spain you can even divide the consumption of your different possessions under the same contract. That means that you can basically build your own powerplant and use it to reduce the payment on all your contracts. This is a game changer

[Ishiisan]

I guess Jimmy Carter was ahead of his time. I remember growing up in Japan, solar water heater was quite common

[virescon]

Everything always points to Reagon being the worst

[pavelaftinescu]

yes really, 10 years ago I did not even imagine that something like this would be possible, but now when I travel around the country I see a lot of solar "farms", and even in my village two privat households have installed these solar panels, and I live in Moldova!!!

[TheAmericanAmerican]

I got into the solar panel industry 7 years ago because I saw its potential to END the fossil fuel industry... business is a boomin' and I'm all for it!

[ahmedalqassem]

I love the "invisible hands" reference. The world won't be fixed by itself. It takes efforts and commitment of others

[HAL-bolr]

I’m not even 20. But I remember when people were pouting about how “it’s too expensive” just 8~10 years ago.

Though, I didn’t hear people brush off the idea of it becoming widespread.

But I don’t think anyone I knew imagined that so many INDIVIDUAL homes would adopt solar panels. We thought for the foreseeable future, it would just remain a sideshow power source only found in large open & rural spaces.

[kenbobcorn]

Can we all agree that between Vox, Vice and maybe Business Insider they have the best described and animated videos on current topics. Vox videos are always so well done and explained in my opinion.

[jonathanjensen]

A similar video with other renewable energy sources, like electricity generated by wind, would be wonderful!