Solar costs fall for homeowners, but frustrating red tape is on the rise

At a recent panel discussion put on by The Indus Entrepreneurs, everyone agreed that the residential solar-panel market will grow by leaps and bounds in 2009 and 2010. I blogged about the possibility that wholesale solar panel prices in residential actually might rise again as a result of demand, which a couple of larger analyst shops have verified.

Unfortunately, the red tape appears to be growing right along with the market. Prominent installers and energy integrators in this market are voicing increasingly pointed complaints that state and municipal governments and Uncle Sam are layering on onerous paperwork requirements and permit processes for something that should be much faster and simpler.