Episode
928: Why U.S. Solar Costs 2–3x More Than Australia | Barry Cinnamon
- Podcast
- SunCast
- Published
- May 5, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1722
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Summary
Australia is installing solar and batteries for about $2 a watt. In the U.S., it’s closer to $5.50. So why do we still have this huge gap? Barry Cinnamon went to Australia to find out. What he discovered challenges one of the industry’s favorite explanations. Even if you remove permitting delays and other “soft costs,” the U.S. still doesn’t come close. Today’s Tactical Tuesday breaks down the real drivers behind [residential] solar pricing, from federal manufacturing policy and tariffs to financing structures and regulatory friction. Then we take it a step further, exploring a new hypothesis Barry has been modeling: using data center demand to help fund rooftop solar and storage . Expect to learn: 🔹 Why U.S. solar costs 2–3x more than Australia 🔹 What’s actually driving the cost gap beyond “soft costs” 🔹 How policy and financing shape the price customers pay 🔹 Why data centers could become unlikely allies for rooftop solar and storage This is a practical, provocative look at the policies and business models that could make solar cheaper, faster, and more useful to the grid. Tune in to hear Barry Cinnamon’s roadmap for making distributed energy actually affordable. Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast? Hit us up - [email protected] with your feedback & recommendations. If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/ . Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America ! You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors . Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and…