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Here is the chart showing the relation between the amount of installed solar, and the cost. Correlation does not prove causation. Personally, I think it more likely that lower cost leads to more installed panels, that that more installed panels is driving down cost. Regardless, the trend is clear - the competitiveness of solar is improving at such a rate, that it is on track to blow by other sources, in a disruptive fashion.

Batteries are getting better too. I am getting an electric bicycle soon. Just a few years ago, they needed 3-5 sealed lead acid batteries (like car batteries). The one I am getting has a 5 pound Lithium Ion battery the size of a book. It can take me 20 miles without pedaling, and recharge in five hours, for less than 10 cents. Graphene infused batteries, like the recently unvieled G King, with hold more juice in the same size, and recharge in 15 minutes.

I can't figure out why you would put solar panels on a camper van.

I am tinkerer; as it turns out it was kind of a stupid idea. But I drank the Kool-Aid like the two of you have and went a step further and used my wallet and not just my mouth. I have also put together an electric bicycle using parts purchased through eBay. I wanted to use it to commute to work to save money. It was kind of fun for a while, but it didn't work out in the long run. I ended up selling it because even with fancy batteries... a car or motorcycle is a much better commuting option. And it is just easier to use a normal bicycle 90% of the time for recreation. What is the point of having a motor it you want to go out for a recreational bike ride?

As far as the new technology batteries go... there has been very little improvement in cost or what is available to consumers in the last ten years for batteries that are appropriate for bicycles.

We have friends who live off the grid using solar panels, batteries and a generator that runs on propane. If it were not for the subsidies that they received on the solar panels, batteries and inverter; it certainly would not ever actually have paid for itself vs. just using a propane generator. The solar system with batteries and inverter cost tens of thousands of dollars. The batteries especially require lots of attention. The generator which has several times the capacity cost around $500 and converting it to Propane cost them a couple hundred dollars.

We live in an area that has frequent power outages. We have two back-up generators and have converted the one we use to natural gas. It is 25 years old and has a 10 hp Briggs and Stratton engine. It has run weeks at a time without a hiccup on occasion. I just check the oil level every day when we are running it 24 hours a day. Other than adding and changing the oil and air filters very infrequently it has required no maintenance. I bought the second generator in case the old one breaks. But it still hasn't had a hiccup. We paid less than $500 for each of them.

You can read all the articles you want pushing solar, but if you haven't actually installed a system and tried it out you just do not know what you are talking about. The truth is that a solar system without a backup generator is next to useless. They cost a fortune without subsidies; and even then they have a fraction of the capacity compared to a generator in most cases. As far as the batteries... people are still mostly using golf cart batteries, because they are still the best value vs. performance solution, the same basic technology that has been around since telegraphs and steam locomotives were revolutionary technology.

Unlike computer technology no matter what your charts and articles are claiming there has been little improvement in actual cost or performance for what is available to consumers over the past decade. The articles you posted are pure leftist propaganda. Instead of reading articles... go shop for a system... you will see what I am talking about.