Andalay Solar Inc fka WEST

[royallen]

I copied this from an SA article.


A solar panel's cost-effectiveness is essentially all that matters in utility-scale generation, as labor is only a comparatively minor aspect of total costs. Potentially quicker installation times due to higher-efficiency panels will only marginally save costs in the utility-scale market.

Distributed solar generation, on the other hand, has a greater emphasis on installation costs, as opposed to material costs. Instead of installing thousands of panels at one time, installers in the distributed segment oftentimes have to install a few panels one rooftop at a time, making labor a much larger part of the total cost equation.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/2829126-trina-solar-increasing-emphasis-on-the-downstream-solar-markets?ifp=0