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The Nyngan solar plant is the first of two utility- scale solar projects to have received funding by the Commonwealth Government through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and the NSW Government. First Solar expects to commence construction of the second project in Broken Hill, NSW, in mid-2014.
Balance-of-systems drives solar system capex down
Lux Research says racking and mounting cost reductions and electrical innovations will cut balance-of-system costs by as much as 30 percent by 2020 with biggest drops in the residential segment
Falling module prices have helped to bring down the cost of solar installations, but now balance of system (BOS) components like racking and mounting are key targets of cost reduction, as distributed generation system prices fall by between 15 percent and 30 percent by 2020 depending on geography, according to Lux Research.
Along with continuing module efficiency improvements, these advances will make the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) for solar between $0.04/kWh and $0.08/kWh cheaper in 2020 than it is today.
“Balance-of-systems costs are in developers’ crosshairs as the pressure to reduce costs extends downstream. Incremental cost reductions from racking and mounting, coupled with innovative system electronics changes, will accelerate system cost reductions and help reduce LCOE,” says Matthew Feinstein, Lux Research Senior Analyst and the lead author of the report titled, “The Squeeze: Trends in Solar Balance of Systems.” “Project volumes will also continue to drive M&A activity in the BOS industry, with plenty of opportunity for new entrants,” he adds.
Lux Research analysts evaluated the factors driving BOS cost reductions in varied geographies and application segments. Among their findings:
Residential segment is poised for biggest gains. By 2020, residential BOS costs are set to drop more than any other application segment, driven largely by cuts in labour costs, thanks to ever-increasing adoption of time- saving best practices. Commercial systems will see cost reduction due to new, lower-cost racking and mounting hardware.
Thin-film systems’ costs fall fastest for utility scale solar.
Standard utility-scale BOS costs fall fastest for CdTe systems, thanks largely to increasing module efficiency lowering the cost of racking and mounting hardware on a per-watt basis.
Electrical innovations hold out hope for further reductions. Innovations targeting the electrical side of the BOS industry have the highest potential for cost reduction. In distributed generation, the high-voltage trend will go as far as code allows, up to 1,500 V, while utility-scale system developers will pursue automated installation technologies and high-voltage configurations.
First Solar starts construction in West Texas
The CdTe based Barilla Solar project will help meet regional demand
First Solar says it has begun construction on Phase I of the Barilla Solar Project in Pecos County, Texas, west of Fort Stockton. The 22 megawatt (MW) AC project is expected to begin commercial operation in mid-2014.
First Solar will build, commission and operate the power plant, and offer the output to customers, including municipal utilities, electric cooperatives, and larger commercial and industrial users.
The project, located in West Texas, will have access to one of the best solar resource areas in the state and can provide electricity to more heavily populated areas with greater peak energy demand.
“The Barilla Solar Project demonstrates First Solar’s capability to rapidly develop, construct and commission a solar project offering clean, reliable energy at competitive rates to the market when and where it is required,” says Tim Rebhorn, Senior Vice President of Business Development for First Solar. “The project will contribute to Texas’ immediate energy needs and demonstrate how solar power can provide a generating resource that can be effectively integrated into the ERCOT grid and help meet Texas’ energy demand, particularly during critical peak hours.”
“First Solar is excited to help Texas meet its peak energy demand using clean, affordable solar power,” adds Brian Kunz, First Solar’s Vice President of Project Development. “An additional benefit is that solar power plants require no water to generate electricity”. “This is important in West Texas, where scarce water resources must be preserved.”
“This is an important step forward in our efforts to January / February 2014
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