Comment by jarrettc

The article suggests that solar panels could be an "existential threat" to power companies. For those of you who are familiar with the math of solar panels, how realistic is that prediction? How much of a normal home's energy needs could be supplied by solar panels, assuming the panels covered the entire surface area of the roof? How much is the ROI on solar panels likely to improve in the foreseeable future? (I've heard estimates of 5-8% annual return for 2014.)