Costing Analysis of Scalable Carbon-Based Perovskite Modules Using Bottom Up Technique

Area of Science:

• Photovoltaic technology
• Renewable energy
• Materials science

Background:

• Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) demonstrate high power conversion efficiency (25.5%), positioning them as a viable alternative to silicon (Si) photovoltaic (PV) technology.
• PSCs offer potential for low investment and reduced CO2 emissions, attracting significant market interest.
• Technoeconomic analysis is crucial for assessing manufacturing costs and market viability of emerging PV technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a technoeconomic analysis of a 100 MW carbon-based perovskite solar module (CPSM) factory in India.
• To determine the minimum sustainable prices (MSPs) and levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for two different CPSM architectures.
• To compare the economic feasibility of CPSMs with established crystalline silicon solar modules.

Main Methods:

• Technoeconomic analysis of a 100 MW CPSM factory.
• Calculation of MSPs for high-temperature (Module A) and low-temperature (Module B) processed CPSMs.
• Calculation of LCOE based on MSPs and module lifetime (10 and 25 years).

Main Results:

• Module A (high-temperature) has an MSP of $0.21 W⁻¹ and Module B (low-temperature) has an MSP of $0.15 W⁻¹.
• For a 10-year lifespan, LCOEs are 3.40 ¢ kWh⁻¹ (Module A) and 3.02 ¢ kWh⁻¹ (Module B).
• For a 25-year lifespan, LCOEs decrease to 1.66 ¢ kWh⁻¹ (Module A) and 1.47 ¢ kWh⁻¹ (Module B).

Conclusions:

• The calculated LCOEs for CPSMs are comparable to market-dominant crystalline silicon solar modules.
• Perovskite solar cell technology presents a favorable economic outlook for widespread adoption.
• The technoeconomic analysis supports the market potential of CPSMs, particularly the low-temperature processed modules.