The price of home solar energy systems is falling. Multiple pieces of evidence show that the cost of solar panels and related components has decreased significantly over the past few years. For example, the price of solar modules has fallen by more than 80 percent since 2010.
In addition, investments by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have reduced the cost of solar energy by 70 to 80 percent, and the cost of solar PV is projected to decrease even further by 2030.
Nonetheless, price changes vary by type of solar system. For example, installed prices for residential systems have declined by about $0.1 to $0.2 per watt per year over the past decade, while installed prices for commercial systems have increased. However, the overall trend is that the cost of solar systems is continuing to decline, which makes solar power more affordable.
In addition, some countries and regions have achieved parity between solar and grid electricity prices, meaning that the cost of solar electricity is already lower than grid electricity prices. This trend is expected to continue in the future, as technological advances and economies of scale will drive costs down even further.
Home solar systems are becoming cheaper, thanks to technological advances, economies of scale and supportive government policies.