Hacker News Reader

Comment by Filligree | Hacker News Reader

> * solar panel prices have dropped a whole lot in 2016 already. Chinese PV panels now cost about 43 cents a watt. Production costs are around 37 cents a watt. (that's for Jinko Solar)

However, a 140-watt panel would cost me 362 dollars back home, which is 250 cents per watt: http://www.sunwind.no/product/show/?id=1297

Where exactly are these oh-so-cheap panels supposedly sold?

View on HN

The usual place:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/solar-panel-12v-50w-poly-2-pc...

That seems great at 50 cents per watt, but the shipping is another 91 cents per watt.

Good place to start looking though.

I have thought (never tried, though) that large shipping costs in Aliexpress are indicator that supplier wants to discuss the true shipping cost with buyer.

Note also that at least in EU you need to add customs and VAT. And you can't expect always getting top quality if you order the cheapest you can find in Aliexpress.

Again, in EU, it might be easier to buy e.g. this:

http://www.ev-power.eu/Solar-Panels/Solar-panel-GWL-Sunny-Po...

(plus VAT, but already in EU)

If you want good prices you need to buy a whole pallet or more of panels: http://sunelec.com/solar-panels

I tried the first hit on UK ebay and got £105 with free delivery ($137, almost exactly one dollar per watt) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-140W-12v-Energy-Solar-Panel-Po...

There must be cheaper panels available in the US.

Renogy has 100W panels for $145 stateside https://www.renogy.com/renogy-100-watt-12-volt-polycrystalli...

140 W is probably not the cheapest-per-watt panel format.

Why don't you visit Germany with a van?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com