This essay is based in part on my book, Hope in a Jar: The Making of America's Beauty Culture (New York: Metropolitan Books/Henry Holt, 1998), as well as a reading of the innovative new scholarship on the history of American consumer culture.
Again referencing the latest US Solar Market Insight report, the average installed cost of a residential solar panel system was $4.72/watt. However, prices vary tremendously by region. âCommon residential system prices ranged from less than $3.00/W to just above $7.00/W,â the Solar Energy Industries Association writes.
American-made vs imported panel costs. American-made solar panels generally cost from 80Â¢ to $1 per watt (W) â about 10-30Â¢ more per watt than imported panels. The highest quality, âpremiumâ American panels may even come in around $1.25/W.