l'Actualité du Solaire

The 11th edition of the German VDMA (ITRPV) presents the decrease in solar prices, improvements in efficiency and the role played by the largest chips in reducing costs.

Solar installations will reach 650 GW worldwide by the end of 2019. The learning speed - the speed at which price reductions accelerate with wider deployment of the technology - has reached 23.5% in 2019, according to VDMA. This pace is expected to continue in the coming years, resulting in lower panel prices thanks to the use of larger solar wafers, optimised front and back cells, better panel layout, the deployment of bifacial cells, new cell types, and improved panel technology.

The study indicates that global panel production capacity exceeds 200 GW. Production costs for mono or multicrystalline panels have decreased by 10% in 2019. The average price of monocrystalline solar panels has dropped from $0.39 per watt peak in 2018 to $0.24 this year, according to the ITRPV update. Multi-crystalline products increased from $0.31 to $0.21 over the same period. Cell costs decreased by 20%.

Monocrystalline panels will account for 75% of the world market by 2020. The current standard wafer size of 156.75 mm x 156.75 mm will be replaced by M6 and M12 sizes. The growing popularity of more efficient PERC and half cell products continued last year, although larger wafers have led to larger panels. The latter lead to misleading comparisons. Therefore, VDMA recommends that performance per m² should be indicated to standardise efficiencies. Using this method, single crystal p-type PERC panels generate an average of 203 W/m² this year, and would reach 230 W in 2030. Heterojunction products currently offer an average of 210 W/m² and will offer nearly 240 W within 10 years.

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2020/04/28/solar-costs-set-to-continue-falling-according-to-itrpv-roadmap/

PV Magazine of 28 April