[dr_lew]

Getting us to that state, called grid parity, would require solar companies to produce power for around $1 a watt.

What is meant by this? We pay for "power" ( actually energy ) at a rate per kilowatt-hour, usually $.10 or so, residentially. That's $1 per 10,000 watt-hours or $1 per 417 watt-days.

The wikipedia Grid parity article says, "The fully-loaded cost (cost not price) of solar electricity is $0.25/kWh or less in most of the OECD countries. By late 2011, the fully-loaded cost is likely to fall below $0.15/kWh for most of the OECD and reach $0.10/kWh in sunnier regions."

So what is $1 per watt ?

Hope springs eternal in the human breast
Man never is, but always to be blest - Pope

[wolf78]

So what is $1 per watt ?

It means that a solar panel with 1,000 watt rated / nominal power output costs you $ 1,000. It has a lifetime of 25 years and would be compared to say a 1,000,000,000 watt nuclear plant which costs you e.g. $ 2,500,000,000 plus the uranium, but has a lifetime of 40 years and its rated power is available almost 24/7/365. If you factor in financing, transmission etc. cost, you reach the cost to operate, which would be e.g. $ 0.10 / kWh produced for solar.