Sales are sliding because people (like me) who have spend small fortunes on them learn that they are crappy things that just don't work, need to be constantly maintained and replacement every five years, won't buy anymore. "Grid" power is cheaper and much less bother.
For all the carbon created manufacturing solar cells, you'd think they'd just build a nuclear reactor instead.
The article says 15% more Americans will learn this this year, and 24% more Europeons will learn this as well.
In other news,Brits have already learned that roof top windmills are equally useless, noisy, and generally a waste of money just like solar cells. If you want to try wind, you need to go big. That means tall towers, which are banned in most rural communities because of the visible eyesores that they become, plus annoying noises they make. (they aren't bad if you live way out in the country though)
You do know that they need to be installed outside in the sun, right?
My old system works just fine. I'd expand it to the inverter capacity if the "excess" power I generate wasn't -by law- a frickin' GIFT to PG&E
You’ve pretty much nailed it, but solar/wind installations are cost-effective in remote locations where the setup can be cheaper than the cost of getting connected to the grid. I’ve even seen billboards in suburban areas that are solar-powered because with high-efficiency lights (such as LEDs) the cost is lower than even getting connected to the nearest pole.