What keeps the solar energy so expensive? why so far its not commercialized?

Question

What keeps the solar energy so expensive? why so far its not commercialized?

Answer 1

if we could harness the energy of the sun to live off the grid. someone would try to blow up the sun

Answer 2

The main reason is that polysilicon has been in tight supply the last few years.  Polysilicon is the main material used in most solar cells, but it is also used in a bunch of other tech devices.   Without enough extra supply on the market, polysilicon becomes pretty expensive.  There are some that think that there will be a lot more supply coming on line pretty soon though:

http://seekingalpha.com/article/33921-cr...

Here's another article on the polysilicon:

http://www.energyandcapital.com/articles...

Answer 3

The root cause is because even though the sun provides an enormous amount of energy to the earth, it is a very small amount per square foot of area. A large Solar Panel (Say 3ftX4ft) only can produce enough electrical power to run a few light bulbs. One panel may cost over $400. Then because you must have a way to store the power for night time if off The grid, you need a controller/inverter which is expensive (maybe $2000??). Then the batteries if off the grid.

A typical complete system may cost $25,000-$60,000 for a house that is not connected to an electric supply.

A better option for many is just a smaller system that helps save some electrical power by off setting normal supply just when the sun is shining. You don't need the batteries and some other stuff.

Answer 4

Vested interests who make money from other energy products.

Answer 5

Demand drives price and supply.  If the demand is there, the supply will increase (ultimately) and the price will be driven down.  

Additionally, the lobbies from oil, gas and nucleur companies is very strong - we have to get a pro-environment government that is willing to buck the lobbiests and we will have a much better chance at making renewable energy commercially affordable, more efficient and effective.

It's coming, but slowly, on an entreprenureal front.

Answer 6

Solar energy is not cost effective.It costs high for installation.Batteries are costly and requires replacement.It can not provide enough power to run factories and heavy machines.With out Govt subsidy they can not be sold.So the commercial exploitation of solar energy is not possible now.

Answer 7

We are still in solar energy infancy

Had Al Gore been pdt for all these years (spending billions in envt not Irak) solar pannel engineering would be vastly more developped today

We would have efficiencies of 80-90 not 10-20 percent

We would have prices under 100 dollars per KW

Any many other things we can't even imagine

Answer 8

solar panels are expensive. they only operate when there is enough sunshine. Batteries are required to store the electricity for the time the power is required. the operate better when installed in the middle of a desert, but that costs more to deliver the power to the users.

at current electricity prices it is much cheaper to buy power from a conventional power station