Currently, the cost of PV systems in Germany and the United States were $ 3 per watt and $ 6.19 up to $ 3.19, the cost margin. According to the report, the non-hardware "soft costs" is the main reason of the cost of the margin. Germany's population is more dense, transportation and supply chain costs can be cut, and by the effect of the publicity, the solar power generation in the country to accept a higher degree - these also are factors promote lower the cost of PV systems in Germany.

Lawrence - Berkeley National Laboratory (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, LBNL) released a report on why the German residential photovoltaic system costs significantly lower than in the United States, "the theme to make in-depth study.

Currently, the cost of PV solar controller systems in Germany and the United States were $ 3 per watt and $ 6.19 up to $ 3.19, the cost margin. According to the report, the non-hardware "soft costs" is the main reason of the cost of the margin. Germany's population is more dense, transportation and supply chain costs can be cut, and by the effect of the publicity, the solar power generation in the country to accept a higher degree - these also are factors promote lower the cost of PV systems in Germany.

It is worth noting that the Americans more cautious attitude, a new technology acceptance is relatively low, this means that the United States need to pay high acquisition costs.

The report said, the German installers install expenditure in marketing and advertising costs only $ 0.02 per watt for customer acquisition system design costs $ 0.01 and $ 0.04 for other customer acquisition costs; while the United States installers marketing expenditure of $ 0.34; system design costs $ 0.11; other customers spent $ 0.24.

The size of the market so that the German installers to benefit from the low cost - the cumulative amount of residential PV wind inverter systems installed for the United States as much as 3.6 times. The event that a per capita basis, the multiples are expected to rise to 14.

Another finding of the report is Germany continued to cut the feed-in tariff subsidy rate forcing installers to keep prices low.

DOE SunShot Initiative held a webinar for the findings of the report will be held February 26. The authors of the report say the solar market to the larger and more compact in the direction U.S. policy should encourage the development of national solar subsidy rate should be regularly cut and reduce grid, approval, and review of the cost.