Exploring solar energy — the technology, the economics, the market, and what's coming next.
Solar has hit an inflection point. The cost of solar panels has dropped over 90% in the last 15 years — faster than almost any technology in history. It's now the cheapest source of electricity ever built, in most of the world.
The story isn't just about climate. It's about economics. In sunbelt states like Texas, rooftop solar + battery is becoming a genuine financial decision, not just an environmental one.
Three angles I'm exploring:
A typical 10kW system in DFW runs ~$30–40k before the federal tax credit. After the 30% ITC, that's ~$21–28k out of pocket. Electricity offset depends heavily on usage and net metering terms with the utility.
Texas has deregulated electricity — meaning rates vary a lot by provider and plan. That makes the solar math more variable than in other states.
⚠️ These are ballpark figures — need to verify with current installer quotes and utility rates.
Solar alone has a fundamental problem: it generates electricity when the sun shines, not necessarily when you need it. Battery storage is what changes the equation — and it's dropping in cost almost as fast as panels did.
Tesla Powerwall is the name most people know, but it's not the only option. Enphase, Franklin WH, and others are competitive now.
The real value proposition in Texas after Winter Storm Uri (2021): grid resilience. People here know the grid can fail. A solar + battery system that keeps your house running through an outage is a different product than pure cost savings.
I want to understand: what's the right sizing, what does it actually cost, and what's the real ROI vs grid backup generators?
📌 Adding notes here as I go. This is a live document.