Economic Competitiveness of U.S. Utility-Scale Photovoltaics Systems in 2015: Regional Cost Modeling of Installed Cost ($/W) and LCOE ($/kWh)

Ran Fu; Douglas Gagne; Anthony Lopez; Ted James; Donald Chung; Aron Dobos

doi:10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356261

Economic Competitiveness of U.S. Utility-Scale Photovoltaics Systems in 2015: Regional Cost Modeling of Installed Cost ($/W) and LCOE ($/kWh)

Ran Fu, Douglas Gagne, Anthony Lopez, Ted James, Donald Chung, Aron Dobos

Pacific Gas & Electric Company

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

22 Scopus Citations

Abstract

Utility-scale photovoltaics (PV) system growth is largely driven by the economic metrics of total installed costs and levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), which differ by region. This study details regional cost factors, including environment (wind speed and snow loads), labor costs, material costs, sales taxes, and permitting costs using a new system-level bottom-up cost modeling approach. We use this model to identify regional all-in PV installed costs for fixed-tilt and one-axis tracker systems in the United States with consideration of union and non-union labor costs in 2015. LCOEs using those regional installed costs are then modeled and spatially presented. Finally, we assess the cost reduction opportunities of increasing module conversion efficiencies on PV system costs in order to indicate the possible economic impacts of module technology advancements and help future research and development (R&D) effects in the context of U.S. SunShot targets.

Original language	American English
Number of pages	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356261 https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356261
State	Published - 14 Dec 2015
Event	42nd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2015 - New Orleans, United States Duration: 14 Jun 2015 → 19 Jun 2015

Conference

Conference	42nd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2015
Country/Territory	United States
City	New Orleans
Period	14/06/15 → 19/06/15

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 IEEE.

NREL Publication Number

NREL/CP-6A20-64304

Keywords

Balance of system (BoS)
bottom-up cost model
LCOE
photovoltaic system cost modeling
PPA
soft cost
solar energy
SunShot
utility-scale PV

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Fu, R., Gagne, D., Lopez, A., James, T., Chung, D., & Dobos, A. (2015). Economic Competitiveness of U.S. Utility-Scale Photovoltaics Systems in 2015: Regional Cost Modeling of Installed Cost ($/W) and LCOE ($/kWh). Paper presented at 42nd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2015, New Orleans, United States. https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356261, https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356261

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abstract = "Utility-scale photovoltaics (PV) system growth is largely driven by the economic metrics of total installed costs and levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), which differ by region. This study details regional cost factors, including environment (wind speed and snow loads), labor costs, material costs, sales taxes, and permitting costs using a new system-level bottom-up cost modeling approach. We use this model to identify regional all-in PV installed costs for fixed-tilt and one-axis tracker systems in the United States with consideration of union and non-union labor costs in 2015. LCOEs using those regional installed costs are then modeled and spatially presented. Finally, we assess the cost reduction opportunities of increasing module conversion efficiencies on PV system costs in order to indicate the possible economic impacts of module technology advancements and help future research and development (R&D) effects in the context of U.S. SunShot targets.",

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Fu, R, Gagne, D , Lopez, A, James, T, Chung, D & Dobos, A 2015, 'Economic Competitiveness of U.S. Utility-Scale Photovoltaics Systems in 2015: Regional Cost Modeling of Installed Cost ($/W) and LCOE ($/kWh)', Paper presented at 42nd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2015, New Orleans, United States, 14/06/15 - 19/06/15. https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356261, https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356261

Economic Competitiveness of U.S. Utility-Scale Photovoltaics Systems in 2015: Regional Cost Modeling of Installed Cost ($/W) and LCOE ($/kWh). / Fu, Ran; Gagne, Douglas ; Lopez, Anthony et al.
2015. Paper presented at 42nd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2015, New Orleans, United States.

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

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AU - Gagne, Douglas

AU - Lopez, Anthony

AU - James, Ted

AU - Chung, Donald

AU - Dobos, Aron

PY - 2015/12/14

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N2 - Utility-scale photovoltaics (PV) system growth is largely driven by the economic metrics of total installed costs and levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), which differ by region. This study details regional cost factors, including environment (wind speed and snow loads), labor costs, material costs, sales taxes, and permitting costs using a new system-level bottom-up cost modeling approach. We use this model to identify regional all-in PV installed costs for fixed-tilt and one-axis tracker systems in the United States with consideration of union and non-union labor costs in 2015. LCOEs using those regional installed costs are then modeled and spatially presented. Finally, we assess the cost reduction opportunities of increasing module conversion efficiencies on PV system costs in order to indicate the possible economic impacts of module technology advancements and help future research and development (R&D) effects in the context of U.S. SunShot targets.

AB - Utility-scale photovoltaics (PV) system growth is largely driven by the economic metrics of total installed costs and levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), which differ by region. This study details regional cost factors, including environment (wind speed and snow loads), labor costs, material costs, sales taxes, and permitting costs using a new system-level bottom-up cost modeling approach. We use this model to identify regional all-in PV installed costs for fixed-tilt and one-axis tracker systems in the United States with consideration of union and non-union labor costs in 2015. LCOEs using those regional installed costs are then modeled and spatially presented. Finally, we assess the cost reduction opportunities of increasing module conversion efficiencies on PV system costs in order to indicate the possible economic impacts of module technology advancements and help future research and development (R&D) effects in the context of U.S. SunShot targets.

KW - Balance of system (BoS)

KW - bottom-up cost model

KW - LCOE

KW - photovoltaic system cost modeling

KW - PPA

KW - soft cost

KW - solar energy

KW - SunShot

KW - utility-scale PV

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Y2 - 14 June 2015 through 19 June 2015

ER -

Economic Competitiveness of U.S. Utility-Scale Photovoltaics Systems in 2015: Regional Cost Modeling of Installed Cost ($/W) and LCOE ($/kWh)

Abstract

Conference

Bibliographical note

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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