I just had another solar installer come by. Like usual, they refused to show me a fucking itemized bill of the total install cost. The math they presented was utter horseshit. But when I read between the lines, I was able to come out with a $3.50/W installed price (6KW system for ~$21k) and that let me do some calculations. In their idealized, guaranteed, projections the system would pay for itself after 7 or so years. Not the worst, tbh.

Anyways I think $3.50/W installed is... high. The panels are now bought in bulk for less than $0.3/W. Of course there's the interconnection, inverters, wiring, panel mounts and brackets, labor, and profit.

But on my home with a projected 6KW system that comes to $1.8k in panels leaving $20k for the rest. I've got a feeling that will come down by necessity once the tax credit goes away.

Does anyone work for an installer? Where is all of that money going?