The Guardian: "Price of solar panels to drop to $1 by 2013, report forecasts"

Link to The Guardian
(plus plenty of comments)

"Prices of solar panels are falling so fast that. by 2013. they will be half of what they cost in 2009, according to a report from Ernst & Young that argues solar electricity could play 'an important role' in meeting the UK's renewable energy targets.

"The conclusions of the Ernst and Young report contrast with the view of the government's advisers, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), which recently argued that solar remained too expensive to warrant serious consideration in the short term, and that Britain should instead 'buy in from overseas later'.

"The lead author of the Ernst & Young report, Ben Warren, said the CCC's view failed to consider the wider economic benefits of solar:

"Being a laggard has never been very successful in terms of capturing the greater share of the value added for the economy … if you create a sustainable market, you will achieve cost savings, and drive economic benefits, in terms of tax income and job creation."