Increase in PV’s worldwide manufacturing capacity will only impact price if demand continues. This might be the threadlike. What is not mentioned is the price of commercial power vs residential. The focus is residential, but the observations that PV might be the same if not cheaper than the current prices off the GRID is something business need to track.
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Another observation by New Energy Finance released Monday, Solar power 50% cheaper by year end, says New Energy Finance, points out that:
…” the steady decline in the cost of equipment in sectors like solar and wind has been largely offset by the increasing costs of financing,” said Michael Liebreich, chairman and CEO of New Energy Finance. “By the end of this year, however, as capital markets loosen up and equipment prices continue their decline, we will see the levelized costs decline, finishing the year 10% below the end of last year across the board and far more than that in solar.”
Declining cost of PV based on increased manufacturing capacity, cost per Kw on PV going down, and an a indication that there is pent up demand because of lack of capital are all factors leading to a trigger in the market which would accelerate PV adoption. That trigger might be a global market force (oil prices), an international force (Climate Change Summit), or governmental force (expansion of feed-in tariffs to the US). It would be interesting to look back 6 months from now and see what really happens.