Hi,
There is an outfit called NanoSolar that has been getting a lot of press on the PV panels they do.
The CEO says that they could produce panels for a wholesale price of $1 per watt -- well under half current panels.
He also said that this does not mean they will sell them for these prices. I'm sure you can Google them and get tons of material on them.

These kinds of stores have come along on a regular basis for the past 50 years, and no one has come up with an ultra cheap and efficient PV panel yet. That said, NanoSolar does seem to be a pretty solid outfit and they are making panels now. I think I read that their full output has been sold to supply a large commercial project for quite a while.

I would not expect dramatic price reductions any time soon.

I'm a bit surprised that an earth sheltered house like yours would need much cooling at all. Is it possible that you are getting quite a bit of solar heat gain through the south windows, and that an overhang or screens of some sort to stop the gain would do the trick?

Gary

I have a parapet wall that extends 2 feet over the south side of the house, so that the winter sun can come in and heat the house and the summer sun does come in too, but I do have some solar screens. I could use more solar screens. The house is 3,000 sq. feet but I can ot handle humitity. It makes it harder to breathe. I do have double pane windows and brick on any part of the house that is not underground.
The upstairs part of the house is fenced so that you don't walk off the roof. This is where I would like to do solar hot water, and regular solar panels.
jonelle