Your link directly contradicts your claim that labor and protection costs are 'at least as high':
> Costs for permitting, connecting the systems to the grid, and having them inspected are also far higher in the United States.
and
> U.S. installers also spend more on labor during actual installation (in some cases, higher winds force more expensive installations). They pay more in sales tax (German installers are exempt).
I meant generally, in terms of protections and wages for labor. It wouldn't be fair to compare Chinese or Indian residential solar costs with the US (less safety and much lower wages), but Australia and Germany are both developed countries with high minimum wages.
> Costs for permitting, connecting the systems to the grid, and having them inspected are also far higher in the United States.
and
> U.S. installers also spend more on labor during actual installation (in some cases, higher winds force more expensive installations). They pay more in sales tax (German installers are exempt).