The Challenge

In the challenge to make solar energy more prevalent for all commercial + industrial businesses, the defining argument almost always comes down to cost. At the end of the day, which is the cheaper way to produce electricity: coal, natural gas, oil, biomass, nuclear, water, wind or solar, considering a 25 year life-cycle?

In the past that answer has always been coal/fossil fuels, but now through much lower solar pricing, stable government incentives and efficient deployment of solar technology, sunlight is turning into the cheapest form of energy on the market, when compared at the commercial + industrial scale. In 2020, it is estimated that the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of solar is around 55 dollars per megawatt hour, compared to lignite coal which is 65 dollars per megawatt hour.

Then there is the cost to mine, ship the coal and maintain a coal fired plant, compared to virtually zero maintenance on solar. The solar fuel is nuclear energy from the sun, which will always continue to burn and provide energy. Finally, the cost to clean up behind solar is miniscule, not even in the ballpark compared with cleaning up the atmosphere, the oceans, the earth and human health from fossil fuel emissions.

These facts are music to Winkelman Solar Team’s ears. We are in this business of the long run and feel solar PV will be the best way to produce electricity in our lifetimes. We will meet this challenge with a team of great people who understand what is takes to make solar work for its customers.

For more information – info@winkelmansolar.com