Techno-Economic Analysis to Inform PV Performance, Cost, and Sustainability
DuraMAT uses techno-economic analysis (TEA) across all of its core outcomes to inform photovoltaic (PV) module performance, levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), and sustainability measures.
DuraMAT's TEA team works with researchers on the Module Materials Solutions and Fielded Module Forensics core objectives, along with the PV Fleets project, to produce insights and quantify the financial implications of degradation rates and failure modes in PV modules. For the Central Data Resource Core Objective, TEA is used to quantify the value of improvements in lifetime energy yield, lower degradation rates, and 50-year PV systems.
TEA also can help to examine energy yield and LCOE impacts for thin-film and crystalline silicon glass-glass and glass-backsheet module packages (including bifacial). For projects within the Module Materials Solutions Core Objective, we can calculate O&M and circular economy cash outflows and LCOE impacts due to module wear out and underperformance or damage from extreme weather events. Finally, using TEA with researchers under the Multi-scale, Multiphysics Modeling and Disruptive Acceleration Science core objectives affords opportunity to quantify the costs and benefits associated with testing- and field-based measurements of PV module performance.
Core Objective
Location
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Applications
Researchers working on DuraMAT core objectives or individual projects are encouraged to reach out to the TEA team for ideas about how to translate their research to the metrics of PV module and system energy yield, degradation profiles, O&M considerations, and LCOE.
Availability
The TEA capability is available to all DuraMAT core objectives and projects.
References
DuraMAT DataHub. “ LCOE Calculator Tool – DuraMAT Data Hub.”
Brittany Smith. “ Updates to the Instant Online PV LCOE Calculator Tool”. DuraMAT Webinar, August 2021.
Michael Woodhouse, David Feldman, Vignesh Ramasamy, Brittany Smith, Timothy Silverman, Teresa Barnes, Jarett Zuboy and Robert Margolis “ Research and Development Priorities to Advance Solar Photovoltaic Lifecycle Costs and Performance”. Solar Futures Study, September 2021.
Contacts
To learn more about this capability, contact Michael Woodhouse or Brittany Smith.
