AKNS - 69% of Respondents at Stores Selling Solar Panels Say Prices will Drop This Year
With the green building industry still soaring, solar panel companies see a steady trade. Akeena Solar Inc. for instance recently had analysts predicting that its shares will more than double in a year. Tickermine surveyed 15 stores that stock solar panels and asked what types of Sun Power products they sell the most of, which brands sell the best, are these products sufficiently stocked, do they expect prices of solar panels to drop in 2008 and by how much? The type of Sun Power products selling the best are commercial solar panels (these were cited by 7 respondents or 47% of those polled.) Residential Solar Panels and Residential Roof Tiles were also cited by 4 respondents or 27% of those interviewed. The best selling products were the 315 Solar Panel (3 respondents or 20%), the 215 Solar Panel and the SunPower T110 Roof Tile (also mentioned by 3 respondents or 20% of those polled.) The 210 Solar Panel was cited twice (13%) as was the 230 Solar Panel and the 205 Solar Panel and the SunPower PowerGuard were each cited once or by 7% of those interviewed. We found it interesting that 7 respondents, or 47% of those interviewed, could not get enough of these products in stock. We thought this was a lot, while 8 or 53% found they had enough. Even so, the boom mightn’t last. Ten respondents, 69% felt that prices of solar panels will soon drop. Only five or 33% felt the prices would remain steady. Separately, eight respondents or 53% said prices would drop 1-10% and 2 respondents or 13% said the drop in price would exceed 10%.