My first solar pannel was given to me in Takilma ,Oregon, early 90's, and performed the magical feat of restarting my camper bus by charging it's battery. That panel was purchased by the guy I was aprenticing with from the founder of Real Goods, who he knew personaly, the founder of Real Goods was the worlds first retailer of solar pannels, and the only seller for years. Now that solar power is fully verticaly integrated, ie: solar is building solar, the real economics of that will be felt in every market, and bucking it is a lost battle.