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Paul Gilding: The Earth is full. Solar Power Pricey? It's Cheaper Than Anyone Thinks. That magic moment when electricity from sunlight costs the same (or less) as energy from conventional sources is known as grid parity. At that point, the rate of solar power installations may outpace even today’s blistering pace since one kWh of solar power will cost no more than an equivalent amount of power from coal or other sources. For decades, that moment has resided in some distant tomorrow.

But that day will arrive faster than predicted because of faulty assumptions analysts are using in their calculating according to a recent study (PDF) in the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. Author Joshua Pearce at Canada’s Queen University, argues the cost projections for photovoltaic are far too high given the remarkable advances and plunging prices of the last few years. Global PV solar installation grew from 0.26 GW to 16.1 GW between 2000 to 2010, while manufacturing costs fell 100 times.

"There is a very well established economy of scale in the solar industry. 01%20-%20Fact%20Sheet%20Student%20Essay%20Competition%20Award%202012. David Bismark: E-voting without fraud. Global Risks 2012, Seventh Edition.