Thin-film vs. Crystalline PV costs

[Pants]

To anyone who has actually researched, purchased or installed these two
types of PV, how do the two compare in terms of payback time? Does less
costly but less efficient mean as long a payback as more expensive and more
efficient? The Ovonic Uni-Solar makes it sound so wonderful, but is it just
hype? Personally, I hope not. I would LOVE to plaster my walls with thin
film and use it instead of regular roofing shingles.
____________
address modified for bot resistance

 

[Ecnerwal]

Well, you've hit on the one way to make PV economically efficient right
now -- replacing existing building materials with PV modules. When
investigating the economics, you can subtract the cost of the shingles
you *would* have needed from the cost of the PV modules.

Wonderful in theory; until you actually price PV Shingles, Regular
Shingles, and PV Modules that are not shingles. Hint - the former costs
more than the sum of the latter. Economically efficient for the folks
selling the things, perhaps; not for the end-user.