Don Vandervort, Head Homeboy, has written more than 30 DIY home improvement books, been a segment host on HGTV, served as MSN.com's home improvement expert and written countless magazine articles.
If you are heading overseas for the 2008 summer Olympic games in Beijing, you might be curious to know that upstart solar manufacturer Suntech won the contract to be the sole solar power supplier for the famous Bird Nest Stadium.
Suntech, a dark horse in the residential PV solar market is making strong inroads to the American market by providing economically priced modules.
For the Suntech 180 watt STP180-24/Ab-1 retailing at $849, the dollars-to-watt ratio is $4.71. Tall and narrow like the Sharp design, the Suntech 170 watt module weighs only 34 pounds.
Though historically in the commercial market, Suntech has developed several monocrystalline and polycrystalline modules for the residential market that have design characteristics allowing them to perform above average in low-light situations and a mounting scheme that creates a uniform pattern for a more attractive roof.
