[Blood of Tyrants]

320 square feet, with the solar panels installed flush to the roof, generating 3 kilowatts, and costing $27,000.

Yea, that's really cost efficient. Spend $27,000 for a system that might save you $30 a month on your energy bill. Don't worry, it will pay for itself in 75 years.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

1) The system would be more efficient if it was tilted to approximately 40 degrees, close to perpendicular to the suns rays as possible.
2) Since one of the greatest costs in a warm climate involves cooling, better building design--adjusting building orientation to avoid heat gain, increased insulation, use of window products that reflect sunlight and reduce heat transmission, use of design suited to local climate--may result in reduced electrical costs. (E.G. a Cape Cod home in the Sonoran desert makes no sense.)
3) Like any product, the unit cost decreases when your total production increases. The more homes that use solar the greater the production, more widespread technical knowledge required to install and maintain, and the lower costs will eventually become.
4) Since sunlight is free, it makes sense to continue to develop systems that utilize sunlight. We have come a long way since Edison. We aren't done yet and the United States has many exceptional engineers.