Cost of Ownership Calculations

Cost structure of conventional PV module production
© Fraunhofer ISE
Cost structure of conventional PV module production.

The production costs of conventional PV modules depend largely on the materials used.  For new, integrated PV products, not only is there an alteration to the components used but also in the manufacturing processes.  We analyse the effects on the production costs (Cost of Ownership Analysis - CoO) with the help of a detailed model that is based on a virtual model of the production equipment and processes.

The cost calculation takes account of all relevant input quantities from interest rates on capital, through system parameters, to planned or unplanned downtime.  We evaluate parameters describing the individual influences and can thus support the establishment and operation of an efficient manufacturing process or compare different types of PV module technology with each other.