
Based on our bottom-up modeling, the Q1 2021 PV and energy storage cost benchmarks are: $2.65 per watt DC (WDC) (or $3.05/WAC) for residential PV systems, 1.56/WDC (or $1.79/WAC) for commercial rooftop PV systems, $1.64/WDC (or $1.88/WAC) for commercial ground-mount PV systems, $0.83/WDC (or $1.13/WAC) for fixed-tilt utility-scale PV systems, $0.89/WDC (or $1.20/WAC) for one-axis-tracking utility-scale PV systems, $30,326-$33,618 for a 7.15-kWDC residential PV system with 5 kW/12.5 kWh nameplate of storage, $2.04 - $2.10 million for a 1-MWDC commercial ground-mount PV system colocated with 600 kW/2.4 MWhusable of storage, $166 - $167 million for a 100-MWDC one-axis tracker PV system colocated with 60 MW/240 MWhusable of storage. [pdf]
The modeled $/kWh costs for 600-kW Li-ion energy storage systems vary from $469/kWh (4-hour duration) to $2,167/kWh (0.5-hour duration). The battery cost accounts for 41% of total system cost in the 4-hour system, but only 11% in the 0.5-hour system.
Dive into the research topics of 'U.S. Solar Photovoltaic System and Energy Storage Cost Benchmarks: Q1 2021'. Together they form a unique fingerprint. Ramasamy, V., Feldman, D., Desai, J., & Margolis, R. (2021).
This year, we introduce a new PV and storage cost modeling approach. The PV System Cost Model (PVSCM) was developed by SETO and NREL to make the cost benchmarks simpler and more transparent, while expanding to cover components not previously benchmarked.
Starting with the 2020 PV benchmark report, NREL began including PV-plus-storage and standalone energy storage costs in its annual reports.
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