Announced: Solor Now Cheaper than Coal

Big news this week:

Nanosolar’s founder and chief executive, Martin Roscheisen, claims to be the first solar panel manufacturer to be able to profitably sell solar panels for less than $1 a watt. That is the price at which solar energy becomes less expensive than coal.

“With a $1-per-watt panel,” he said, “it is possible to build $2-per-watt systems.”

According to the Energy Department, building a new coal plant costs about $2.1 a watt, plus the cost of fuel and emissions, he said.

Keep reading:

1. NYTimes: Start-Up Sells Solar Panels at Lower-Than-Usual Cost
2. SolveClimate.com: At $1 per Watt, the iTunes of Solar Energy Has Arrived