Keeping the dream of solar alive

I have a dream of going "solar".  And in this case I am referring to photovoltaic electricity producing cells.  There are a lot of obstacles stopping this from happening.  Cost and available sunlight are the two greatest challenges.  We have a limited income, and we live in the woods, in the northern tier of the United States.   While tropical areas have the best solar potential, Germany has proven that significant solar capability lies in northern latitudes.  This, however, assumes good exposure.  We are nestled in the New Hampshire forest.  Oaks and pines crown over our little house and barn to a height of 80 feet and more, with an understory of birch, maple, and beech.  We love being in the woods but are considering removing over a dozen large trees which represents a significant cost in of itself.  As a side benefit, our garden could definitely use the extra sunshine.

Having wanted to do this for years, I have tried to keep some awareness of what is happening in the industry and of any available incentives that could make it easier to achieve.  This in order to keep from missing any window of opportunity that may open, or slam shut.  The news seems to have been that costs continue to fall as the technology improves.  The newer CIGS (copper indium gallium diselenide [Cu(In_xGa_1-x)Se₂] )  cells have a lot of promise, but the recently ramped up production of silicon for the older standard panels favored by Chinese manufacturers have brought costs so low that CIGS technology is having a hard time competing. 

The older technology being produced in China has had the benefit of lowering costs to the extent that the price point has allowed for a large increase in solar deployment, though as a percentage of electricity production solar remains quite small.

In my case, the increased efficiency of the more expensive CIGS technology would be beneficial in my less than optimal solar exposure.  The solar industry is in a difficult position to assess going forward.  It will continue to grow, but what the dominant technology will be and which players will succeed remains unknown. 

As I continue to work toward the time I can afford to take the leap, I keep the dream of solar alive for myself and millions of others.  The world depends on it.