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Solar Electricity Prices
NOVEMBER 2008
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Solar Electricity Prices

Benchmark Price Indices

Price Index Methodology

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Solar Energy Industry Electricity Prices
The solar electricity index below draws exclusively upon the global Solar Module prices in our survey in the high power band exclusively (> 125 Watts). This price segment was up one cent in November 2008 (vs October 2008).
The November 2008 survey result saw steady Inverter prices, Charge Controller and Battery price indices.
The overall outcome is to move the Solar III index down to 21.38 cents per kWh in November 2008.
Solar Electricity Price Index verses US Electricity tariff Price Index (US cents per kilowatt hour)
This table compares Solar Electricity prices (Source: Solarbuzz LLC survey) with US Government Statistics on US Electric Utility average Revenue per Kilowatt hour by Sector. The Solarbuzz Solar Electricity Index is typically updated within 10 working days of the end of each month. The Solar Electricity Index started in July 2000 and in the most recent month is based upon a survey of around 70-80 Companies retailing solar electric products.

cents per kilowatt hour
Residential
Commercial
Industrial
Electricity
Electricity
Electricity
2000
January
7.62
6.79
4.14
February
7.68
6.84
4.15
March
8.06
6.94
4.15
April
8.13
6.94
4.20
May
8.34
7.11
4.40
June
8.56
7.50
4.59
July
8.63
39.85
7.58
29.62
4.76
21.50
August
8.64
39.45
7.68
29.42
4.85
21.34
September
8.50
39.41
7.49
29.30
4.69
21.26
October
8.47
39.53
7.45
29.46
4.57
21.38
November
8.19
39.26
7.15
29.18
4.37
21.18
December
7.79
40.09
7.25
29.74
4.64
21.58
2001
January
7.73
40.57
7.60
30.02
4.96
21.74
February
8.03
40.45
7.55
29.90
5.09
21.66
March
8.19
40.45
7.51
29.86
4.90
21.62
April
8.42
40.69
7.58
30.06
4.92
21.78
May
8.57
40.57
7.48
30.02
4.93
21.74
June
8.82
40.63
7.84
30.03
5.16
21.76
July
40.69
30.09
21.80
August
41.05
30.39
22.01
September
41.09
30.42
22.04
October
41.08
30.42
22.04
November
41.04
30.40
22.03
December
41.13
30.43
22.04
2002
January
41.13
30.43
22.04
February
41.07
30.36
21.99
March
41.07
30.36
21.99
April
41.07
30.36
21.99
May
40.99
30.29
21.94
June
40.80
30.14
21.84
July
40.67
30.03
21.74
August
40.48
29.88
21.65
September
40.39
29.80
21.60
October
40.30
29.72
21.54
November
40.21
29.65
21.48
December
40.21
29.65
21.48
2003
January
40.16
29.61
21.46
February
40.16
29.58
21.44
March
40.06
29.51
21.38
April
40.03
29.49
21.38
May
40.00
29.46
21.35
June
39.91
29.38
21.30
July
39.84
29.33
21.26
August
39.74
29.26
21.21
September
39.74
29.26
21.21
October
39.68
29.21
21.18
November
39.64
29.18
21.15
December
39.55
29.10
21.10
2004            
January
39.55
29.10
21.10
February
39.48
29.05
21.06
March
39.50
29.06
21.07
April
39.44
29.01
21.04
May
39.44
29.01
21.04
SOLAR MODULE INDEX RE-BASED
June
36.35
26.13
20.30
July
36.45
26.21
20.35
August
36.45
26.21
20.35
September
36.49
26.25
20.38
October
36.49
26.25
20.38
November
36.65
26.39
20.49
December
36.66
26.39
20.49
2005            
January
36.75
26.47
20.55
February
36.93
26.62
20.67
March
37.04
26.70
20.75
April
37.13
26.80
20.81
May
37.21
26.90
20.87
June
37.26
26.92
20.90
July
37.30
26.96
20.93
August
37.57
27.21
21.12
September
37.62
27.25
21.16
October  
37.71
27.33
21.20
November  
37.85
27.46
21.32
December  
37.92
27.53
21.37
2006            
January  
38.04
27.61
21.44
February  
38.04
27.61
21.44
March  
38.07
27.65
21.47
April  
38.19
27.77
21.56
May  
38.34
27.89
21.66
June  
38.34
27.89
21.66
July  
38.37
27.92
21.68
INVERTER INDEX RE-BASED
August  
37.34
27.52
21.45
September  
37.34
27.52
21.45
October  
37.34
27.52
21.45