Why is solar photovoltaic technology so expensive?

Since the early 2000s, the total cost of solar photovoltaic (PV) technology has consistently sunk below expert expectations, mostly due to hardware improvements.

How does a cost-change model affect solar PV installation costs?

The equations in the cost-change model provide a framework to account for the multi-faceted impact of different variables on overall system costs. Trancik and team then populated the equations with historical inflation-adjusted data to characterize the features leading to the change in costs for residential and utility-scale solar PV installations.

Do hardware and non-hardware features reduce the cost of solar photovoltaics?

The cost of solar photovoltaics has declined over the past two decades, but the driving mechanisms are not fully understood. Now, researchers examine the role of hardware and non-hardware features in cost reduction of photovoltaics and develop a model that could be used to understand cost reductions for other energy technologies.

Do solar PV installations have soft costs?

Yet, soft costs — the non-hardware expenses for solar PV installations, such as connection and permit fees — have represented a growing share of total costs, even as solar PVs have become more widespread and affordable. The mechanisms underlying the changes in soft costs over time remain not fully understood.

What factors influence cost reductions in solar photovoltaics?

Beyond the learning curve: factors influencing cost reductions in photovoltaics U.S. energy research and development: Declining investment, increasing need, and the feasibility of expansion Pillai, U., Cruz, K., 2013. Source of Cost Reduction in Solar Photovoltaics.

Are solar PV prices going down?

Nonetheless, rapid price declines in solar PV have not been without controversy. China, for example, has played an outsized role in scaling up the mass production of solar PV cells and modules, comprising 78% of global production in 2021 9, 10 (Fig. 1).