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I have noticed this! But I dont get it. Construction labour in the US is generally much cheaper than in australia. In fact almost everything is cheaper in the U

I have noticed this! But I dont get it. Construction labour in the US is generally much cheaper than in australia. In fact almost everything is cheaper in the US. Why is solar so much more expensive? whats in those "soft costs"?

joecool1029 3y ago
> whats in those "soft costs"? In short: bureaucracy. Depends on state but electrical things and stuff attached to houses usually requires greasing the local municipality with permits, submitting a plan, and hiring licensed electricians that cost way more than a general contractor. It may even require presenting it for approval to a HOA or town committee (god forbid the house might be historic, then it's another committee) EDIT: My parents looked into it in NJ awhile back but their land is farm preserved and it's super restrictive on how much they can cover with a 'solar farm'. Also, it requires studies that prove it won't cast shadows or reflect onto neighboring properties. The township is extremely restrictive on what can be built anywhere (for example the center parts of it are mostly a deadzone for cellphones since the towers must only be installed on the border of the township).
- Affric 3y ago
  That doesn’t provide an answer to the comparative question. The level of bureaucracy in Australia would make most Americans think it a dystopia.
  - toomuchtodo 3y ago
    https://youtu.be/_3Sfxxx9m5U https://youtu.be/_3Sfxxx9m5U ("Youtube: Why Solar Is Cheaper in Australia Than America")
jillesvangurp 3y ago
Import regulations means Chinese equipment that you buy is a bit more expensive. The domestically produced stuff is not cheaper or better or that widely available. The rest is just a mix of bureaucracy, regulations, building codes, energy companies frustrating the whole process, etc. An additional factor is latitude. In Australia places like Sydney and Brisbane, are a lot closer to the equator than most of the US. San Diego is about comparable (well slightly closer) with Melbourne in how close it is to the equator. So, they'd be getting a bit more out of their panels even in the middle of their winter. I'm in Germany, most of the country is about ten degrees further north than most of the US. People put solar on their roofs here because it works and there are some incentives. So, it's not that big of a factor. But if you add it all up, the US should be getting its solar a lot cheaper than it currently is.
- dalyons 3y ago
  I live in California on a latitude identical to Melbourne. And solar costs 3x more. Tariffs are tiny. I still don’t get it!

joecool1029 3y ago

> whats in those "soft costs"? In short: bureaucracy. Depends on state but electrical things and stuff attached to houses usually requires greasing the local municipality with permits, submitting a plan, and hiring licensed electricians that cost way more than a general contractor. It may even require presenting it for approval to a HOA or town committee (god forbid the house might be historic, then it's another committee) EDIT: My parents looked into it in NJ awhile back but their land is farm preserved and it's super restrictive on how much they can cover with a 'solar farm'. Also, it requires studies that prove it won't cast shadows or reflect onto neighboring properties. The township is extremely restrictive on what can be built anywhere (for example the center parts of it are mostly a deadzone for cellphones since the towers must only be installed on the border of the township).

Affric 3y ago
That doesn’t provide an answer to the comparative question. The level of bureaucracy in Australia would make most Americans think it a dystopia.
- toomuchtodo 3y ago
  https://youtu.be/_3Sfxxx9m5U https://youtu.be/_3Sfxxx9m5U ("Youtube: Why Solar Is Cheaper in Australia Than America")

jillesvangurp 3y ago

Import regulations means Chinese equipment that you buy is a bit more expensive. The domestically produced stuff is not cheaper or better or that widely available. The rest is just a mix of bureaucracy, regulations, building codes, energy companies frustrating the whole process, etc. An additional factor is latitude. In Australia places like Sydney and Brisbane, are a lot closer to the equator than most of the US. San Diego is about comparable (well slightly closer) with Melbourne in how close it is to the equator. So, they'd be getting a bit more out of their panels even in the middle of their winter. I'm in Germany, most of the country is about ten degrees further north than most of the US. People put solar on their roofs here because it works and there are some incentives. So, it's not that big of a factor. But if you add it all up, the US should be getting its solar a lot cheaper than it currently is.

dalyons 3y ago
I live in California on a latitude identical to Melbourne. And solar costs 3x more. Tariffs are tiny. I still don’t get it!