energy.gov/sunshot NREL/PR-6A20-67142(1) NREL has been modeling U.S. photovoltaic (PV) system costs since 2009. This year, our report benchmarks costs of U.S. solar PV for residential, commercial, and utilityscale systems built in the first quarter of 2016 (Q1 2016). Costs are represented from the perspective of the developer/installer; thus all hardware costs represent the price at which components are purchased by the developer/installer. Importantly, the benchmark this year also represents the sales price paid to the installer; therefore, it includes profit in the cost of the hardware and the profit the installer/developer receives, as a separate cost category. However, it does not include any additional net profit, such as a developer fee or price gross-up, which are common in the marketplace. We adopt this approach owing to the wide variation in developer profits in all three sectors, where project pricing is highly dependent on region and project specifics such as local retail electricity rate structures, local rebate and incentive structures, competitive environment, and overall project/deal structures (2) Our methodology includes bottom-up accounting for all system and projectdevelopment costs incurred when installing residential, commercial, and utility-scale systems, and it models the capital costs for such systems. In general, we attempt to model typical installation techniques and business operations from an installed-cost perspective, and our benchmarks are national averages of installed capacities, weighted by state. The residential benchmark is further averaged across installer and integrator business models, weighted by market share. All benchmarks assume non-union construction labor, although union labor cases are considered for utility-scale systems.(3) This report was produced in conjunction with several related

This report benchmarks installed prices of U.S. solar photovoltaic (PV) for systems built in the first quarter of 2015 (Q1 2015), and it is the first in an intended series of annual benchmarking reports covering residential-, commercial-, and utility-scale systems. Our methodology includes bottom-up accounting for all system and project-development costs incurred when installing residential-, commercial-, and utility-scale systems, and it models the cash purchase price for such systems. In general, we attempt to model best-in-class installation techniques and business operations from an installed cost perspective, and our benchmarks are national averages of installed capacities, weighted by state. The residential benchmark is further averaged across installer and integrator business models, weighted by market share. All benchmarks assume nonunion construction labor. Benchmarked system prices are presented in Figure ES-1.

No abstract

No abstract

These manufacturing cost model results ("Data") are provided by the Na,onal Renewable Energy Laboratory ("CEMAC"), which is operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy LLC ("Alliance") for the U.S. Department of Energy (the "DOE"). It is recognized that disclosure of these Data is provided under the following condi,ons and warnings: (1) these Data have been prepared for reference purposes only; (2) these Data consist of forecasts, es,mates or assump,ons made on a best-efforts basis, based upon present expecta,ons; and (3) these Data were prepared with exis,ng informa,on and are subject to change without no,ce. The names DOE/CEMAC/ALLIANCE shall not be used in any representa,on, adver,sing, publicity or other manner whatsoever to endorse or promote any en,ty that adopts or uses these Data. DOE/CEMAC/ALLIANCE shall not provide any support, consul,ng, training or assistance of any kind with regard to the use of these Data or any updates, revisions or new versions of these Data.