Current Cost Comparison
Manufacturing Cost per Watt:
- Silicon-based solar panels currently have mature manufacturing processes, with costs ranging from about $0.34/W (China-made) to $0.54/W (Germany-made) for crystalline silicon panels.
- Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) manufacturing costs are currently roughly competitive with the lower end of crystalline silicon costs. Some estimates place PSC module costs around $0.16/W, with potential to further decrease to about $0.10/W in the future as manufacturing scales and processes improve.
- For perovskite-silicon tandem modules produced in the U.S., costs range between approximately $0.29/W and $0.42/W depending on efficiency and module design. With efficiencies greater than 30%, tandem panel costs could drop below $0.30/W, approaching or even undercutting costs of advanced silicon-only panels (around $0.285/W for 22%-efficient silicon PERC modules).
Materials Costs:
- Perovskite precursor inks, necessary for perovskite solar cells, cost roughly $250 per square meter in precursor material (as of 2022), which is higher than polysilicon raw material costs (~$100 per square meter). However, economies of scale favor perovskites as production volume increases, potentially reducing these costs significantly.
Lifetime and Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE)
- PSCs typically have shorter lifetimes compared to silicon modules, with demonstrated module lifetimes around 15 years or greater needed to be competitive. Silicon panels commonly have lifetimes of 25 years or more.
- Despite shorter lifetimes, the higher efficiencies (>12%) and lower module costs of PSCs could yield levelized costs of electricity (LCOE) between 3.5–4.9 US cents/kWh, which is competitive and below traditional energy costs.
- Tandem perovskite-silicon modules with efficiencies reaching 32.5%-35% could further improve the cost-effectiveness of perovskite-based technologies compared to single-junction silicon, assuming lifetime and stability challenges are met.
Summary
| Aspect | Silicon Solar Panels | Perovskite Solar Panels | Perovskite-Silicon Tandem Panels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Manufacturing Cost | $0.34 – $0.54 per watt | Around $0.16 per watt, with potential to $0.10 | $0.29 – $0.42 per watt; ~ $0.30 at >30% efficiency |
| Module Efficiency | Typically 20-22% (PERC) | Currently >12%, potential to surpass 25% | 25-35% |
| Lifetime | 25+ years | Around 15 years (improving) | Expected similar to or better than PSC alone |
| LCOE | Competitive baseline | Estimated 3.5–4.9 cents/kWh (competitive) | Potentially lower due to high efficiency |
In conclusion, while silicon panels currently benefit from mature, cost-effective production and longer lifetimes, perovskite panels and perovskite-silicon tandem modules show great promise for lower manufacturing costs and higher efficiencies that could make them more cost-competitive over their lifetimes as the technology matures and stability improves.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/how-do-the-costs-of-perovskite-solar-panels-compare-to-silicon-based-panels-over-their-lifetimes/
