2026-09-20T10:42:22Zhttps://dspace.mit.edu/server/oai/requestoai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/544822022-01-13T07:54:36Zcom_1721.1_7582com_1721.1_7581col_1721.1_131024
Richard K. Lester.
Wang Yan, S.B. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
2010-04-28T15:38:48Z
2010-04-28T15:38:48Z
2009
2009
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/54482
557555920
Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2009.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 34).
The focus of this thesis is to analyze cost trends and government incentives in the California PV market during 2007-2008. The data show that pre-rebate system costs increased in California during this time period and that this was driven by a surge in worldwide module cost. Systems employing thin film technology did not exhibit a downward impact on cost, which contradicts historical and technological expectations. Furthermore, the introduction of the California Solar Initiative's declining rebate structure had a limited effect on reducing system costs. Additional research is necessary to understand installer pricing behaviors, which seemed to negatively affect commercial buyers, and how to best capitalize on the strong effect of economies of scale that was present in the data. This may lead to improved mechanisms of cost reduction that can aid policymakers.
by Yan Wang.
S.B.
39 p.
eng
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.I.T. theses are protected by
copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but
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http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582
Mechanical Engineering.
Cost trends and government incentives in the California photovoltaics market, 2007-2008
Thesis
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Publication
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<Abstract>The focus of this thesis is to analyze cost trends and government incentives in the California PV market during 2007-2008. The data show that pre-rebate system costs increased in California during this time period and that this was driven by a surge in worldwide module cost. Systems employing thin film technology did not exhibit a downward impact on cost, which contradicts historical and technological expectations. Furthermore, the introduction of the California Solar Initiative's declining rebate structure had a limited effect on reducing system costs. Additional research is necessary to understand installer pricing behaviors, which seemed to negatively affect commercial buyers, and how to best capitalize on the strong effect of economies of scale that was present in the data. This may lead to improved mechanisms of cost reduction that can aid policymakers.</Abstract>
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