|
|
| 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 THREE cents in November 2009 (vs October 2009). |
| The
November 2009 survey result saw steady Inverter
prices, Charge Controller and
Battery price indices. |
| The
overall outcome is to drop the Solar III index to 19.69 cents per
kWh in November 2009. |
| 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
|
| 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
|
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. |
