The Coming Solar Power Boom: Charts Tell The Story, Grid Parity In 2 Years

Home solar power has been around for a long time, but its relatively high costs have made it unattractive for many homeowners.

Over the last decade, rapidly decreasing prices for photovoltaic cells are driving down the cost of solar power, potentially to where it achieves "grid parity"-- a point where getting electricity from solar panels costs the same as getting it from the grid.

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That's going to happen sooner rather than later, according to a chart-filled report from Mother Jones that predicts grid parity is just over the horizon.

Last week, an analyst from Deutsche Bank predicted that solar power will be as cheap or cheaper than grid electricity in all but three states in 2016, removing any financial drawback to going solar.

That view is echoed by David Crane--CEO of Texas utility company NRG Energy--who previously said that residential solar will be cost-competitive with grid electricity in 25 states next year.

Twenty-five states next year, and 25 in 2016? The numbers do seem to add up.

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