|
|
| 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 down 2 cents per watt in August 2010
(vs July 2010). |
| The
August
2010
survey result saw increasing Inverter,
but steady Charge Controller and Battery
price indices. |
| The
overall outcome saw the Solar III index down to 19.14 cents per kWh in August
2010. |
| Solar
Electricity Price Index verses US Electricity tariff Price Index
(US
cents per kilowatt hour) |
| This
table compares Solar Electricity prices (Source: Solarbuzz 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
|
| November
|
|
37.34
|
|
27.52
|
|
21.45
|
| December
|
|
37.30
|
|
27.48
|
|
21.42
|
| 2007
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| January
|
|
37.29
|
|
27.48
|
|
21.41
|
| February
|
|
37.24
|
|
27.44
|
|
21.38
|
| March
|
|
37.24
|
|
27.44
|
|
21.38
|
| April
|
|
37.39
|
|
27.54
|
|
21.45
|
| May
|
|
37.45
|
|
27.54
|
|
21.46
|
| June
|
|
37.41
|
|
27.50
|
|
21.42
|
| July
|
|
37.41
|
|
27.50
|
|
21.42
|
| August
|
|
37.53
|
|
27.54
|
|
21.46
|
| September
|
|
37.48
|
|
27.45
|
|
21.39
|
| October
|
|
37.57
|
|
27.47
|
|
21.40
|
| November
|
|
37.59
|
|
27.43
|
|
21.37
|
| December
|
|
37.62
|
|
27.43
|
|
21.37
|
| 2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| January
|
|
37.63
|
|
27.40
|
|
21.34
|
| February
|
|
37.61
|
|
27.36
|
|
21.32
|
| March
|
|
37.61
|
|
27.37
|
|
21.32
|
| April
|
|
37.61
|
|
27.33
|
|
21.29
|
| May
|
|
37.61
|
|
27.33
|
|
21.29
|
| June
|
|
37.62
|
|
27.33
|
|
21.29
|
| July
|
|
37.67
|
|
27.38
|
|
21.32
|
| August
|
|
37.72
|
|
27.42
|
|
21.36
|
| September
|
|
37.77
|
|
27.44
|
|
21.39
|
| October
|
|
37.78
|
|
27.49
|
|
21.41
|
| November
|
|
37.74
|
|
27.45
|
|
21.38
|
| December
|
|
37.65
|
|
27.37
|
|
21.32
|
| 2009
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| January
|
|
37.48
|
|
27.21
|
|
21.19
|
| February
|
|
37.40
|
|
27.12
|
|
21.13
|
| March
|
|
37.15
|
|
26.92
|
|
20.97
|
| April
|
|
37.01
|
|
26.80
|
|
20.87
|
| May
|
|
36.88
|
|
26.68
|
|
20.78
|
| June
|
|
36.59
|
|
26.39
|
|
20.56
|
| July |
|
36.36
|
|
26.19
|
|
20.40
|
| August |
|
35.89
|
|
25.77
|
|
20.07
|
| September |
|
35.61
|
|
25.52
|
|
19.88
|
| October |
|
35.48
|
|
25.40
|
|
19.79
|
| November |
|
35.35
|
|
25.27
|
|
19.69
|
| December |
|
35.27
|
|
25.19
|
|
19.63
|
| 2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| January
|
|
35.22
|
|
25.15
|
|
19.59
|
| February
|
|
35.08
|
|
25.03
|
|
19.50
|
| March
|
|
34.88
|
|
24.85
|
|
19.37
|
| April
|
|
34.84
|
|
24.81
|
|
19.33
|
| May
|
|
34.74
|
|
24.71
|
|
19.27
|
| June
|
|
34.74
|
|
24.71
|
|
19.27
|
| July
|
|
34.64
|
|
24.65
|
|
19.20
|
| August
|
|
34.56
|
|
24.57
|
|
19.14
|
Electricity Prices Source:
US Department of Energy
Solar Electricity Prices Source: Solarbuzz LLC
|
| Points
of Note (key
assumptions can be found by clicking
here) |
| The
Commercial and Industrial Solar Electricity
Price Index benefits from discounts against Retail prices that can be
secured on volume purchases. Where a Residential Solar Energy System is
sold through a large Government or Utility program, it may be possible to
secure prices at the Retail level more consistent with the Industrial Price
Index column. |
| No
solar energy rebate programs have been built into the data. Many Governments
and Utilities have incentives to reduce the cost of solar electricity, recognizing
the broad economic benefits of stimulating a self-sustaining local solar
energy market. |
| Financing
cost for Solar Energy Systems is assumed to be 5% per annum. These costs
are amortized over a 20 year life. This is a significant factor in the Index.
Our Economic Payback page demonstrates how solar
electricity cost changes with different interest rates. |
| Note
that the Electricity Utilities tariffs are based on US companies only, but
the Solar Electricity Index is based upon global solar electric prices.
Therefore, the columns are not totally consistent. However, around 80% of
the solar prices are from US located companies. |
| The
Index is based upon a climate with 5.5 hours of sunshine average over the
year. This is typical of locations like US Sunbelt States, much of Latin
America, most of Africa, the Middle East, India and Australia. Mediterranean
Countries, followed by Japan and then Northern Europe have progressively
lower average hours. Saharan and southern Africa, and the areas centered
on Saudi Arabia, central Australia, Peru and Bolivia are higher. |
