Solar power is still not cost effective with photovoltics (PV) costing in the neighborhood of 30 cents per kilowatt and 20-22 cents per kilowatt for solar thermal plants. Taxpayers subsidize this inefficient roll out of solar panels by way of government (on the backs of taxpayer) subsidized incentives instead of waiting for the technology to improve.
Solar thermal essentially uses mirrors to heat water or other liquids, turn it into steam that cranks turbines to provide electricity. PV, by contrast, takes the rays of the sun and converts it into electricity without water or a turbine.






