Even though prices of solar equipment have decreased significantly, there is still a long way to go. It is this equation that skeptics point to when they try to dismiss solar. However, solar equipment prices will come down. The California legislature and some twenty other states have said that as a matter of policy, we deem that rooftop solar is to be valued at the retail price of electricity rather than the wholesale price. The next issue is aesthetics.
Many people think conventional solar panels are ugly.
By definition, PV installations are large and visible and make a significant imprint on the architecture of a building. Based on history of previous versions of PV panels and solar hot water installations, some communities have even passed covenants and deed restrictions that forbid new installations. The current market for solar electricity is driven by needs for an industrial power supply. Most people don't want an industrial power supply on the roof of their personal architectural statement - their home. The product can and must appeal to the aesthetic sense of the general population if solar is ever to be a part of the mainstream.