Economical assessment of solar electricity from organic photovoltaic systems

Small size polymeric solar cells at laboratory scale have recently reached efficiencies up to 8.3% [1]. The rapid progress in manufacturing methods which allow a continuous roll-to-roll production indicate that this high efficiency could be within reach for larger modules [2]. Life cycle analysis has evaluated the environmental impact of this emerging technology and allows us to compare the carbon emissions mitigation potential of the polymeric solar technology with other photovoltaic technologies, other renewable energy sources, or fossil fuels [3]. In this work, a detailed economic calculation on the cost of electricity production by a lkWp grid-connected organic photovoltaic system has been performed. Building on the detailed material inventory and the module manufacturing process for the production of organic photovoltaic modules [2], the economical cost of a 1kWp organic photovoltaic system has been calculated taking into account the materials, direct process, labour, balance of system components, design and maintenance costs and using a well established methodology for the economical analysis [4,5]. Assuming values for the performance ratio of the PV system, insolation level, inflation and interest rates, the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) from an organic photovoltaic system is calculated. The interest of organic photovoltaic technologies is mainly the promise of very low-cost for module components and therefore cheap solar electricity. Our calculation demonstrates that this statement is within reach for an already tested manufacturing process which allows the fabrication of organic photovoltaic modules. The cost of solar electricity is calculated to be 0.26 euro/kWh for 3% efficiency modules of 5 years lifetime, assuming a performance ratio of 0.85 and an insolation of 1700kWh/m2 per year.