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Solar photovoltaic panel prices
Average price of solar modules, expressed in US dollars per watt, adjusted for inflation.
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Data visualization loaded directly from Our World in Data.
Reviewed context
What this data shows
OWID dataset update 28 Jul 2026 · Editorial version 1.0.0
How have inflation-adjusted solar photovoltaic module prices changed over the available series?
The reviewed series falls from $132.38 per watt in 1975 to $0.27 per watt in 2024, measured in constant 2025 US dollars. That is a decrease of about 99.8%. The measure covers photovoltaic modules themselves, not a complete installed solar system or the price of electricity.
How to read it
The series combines Nemet for 1975–2003, Farmer and Lafond for 2004–2009, and IRENA data from 2010 onward. Historical values are converted to constant 2025 US dollars with the US GDP deflator.
From 2010 onward, the source uses European pvXchange market benchmarks because comparable global price data are limited. Cite Supply rounds prices to two decimal places and the derived decline to one decimal place.
Observation coverage
- Unit
- Constant 2025 US dollars per watt
- Period
- 1975–2024
- Geography
- World series; European market benchmarks from 2010 onward
- Frequency
- Annual
- Series
- Solar photovoltaic module price
Limitations
- The series joins three source periods and therefore is not based on one unchanged collection method.
- The post-2010 observations use European market benchmarks rather than a complete global transaction dataset.
- Module prices exclude installation, inverters, mounting, financing and other system components.
- Constant-dollar comparisons depend on the stated US GDP deflator and 2025 price basis.
Reuse conditions
Usage rights
- Source-hosted embed use
- Commercial use
- Modification
- Attribution
- Citation
- Raw-data redistribution
Chart and embed permission is separate from raw-data redistribution. The raw dataset is not included in this marketplace asset unless that right is explicitly marked allowed.
View rights evidencePublisher workflow
Exact citation
IRENA (2025); Nemet (2009); Farmer and Lafond (2016)
Attribution: IRENA
Source-hosted only
Embed instructions
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