Is Solar About to Get WAY Better? (I Did the Math)

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Is Solar About to Get WAY Better? (I Did the Math)

Solar Breakthrough vs Silicon Panels

Should You Wait for the Next Solar Breakthrough?

Perovskite solar cells could reach 35% efficiency and cost half as much as silicon, but they are still years away from widespread rooftop use.

Meanwhile, silicon panels just lost their 30% federal tax credit in the US, making them suddenly more expensive.

So here’s the $20,000 question: what’s the better path and value? Should you wait for the next solar breakthrough technology to finally arrive, or install silicon solar panels now?

Which option gives you better value for money?

Correction: In the perovskite savings calculation, a comparison between two 6kW systems incorrectly applied an efficiency-based annual savings boost. If both systems are rated at 6kW, they produce the same energy output—the efficiency difference affects panel size and roof space usage, not total generation. The ~$335/year figure is therefore not valid for equal-sized systems. Higher efficiency matters most when roof space is limited.

Resources

Script and citations:
https://undecided.tech/why-waiting-fo...

Solar guide:
https://undecided.link/solar-guide

Podcast: Video version | Audio version

Discord:
https://undecided.link/discord

Patreon support:
https://undecided.link/patreon

Energy research tools:
US: EnergySage Portal
Canada: EnergyPal Quotes

Chapters