Solar China Photovoltaic Power Generation Cost

How much does solar PV cost in China?

Province-level solar PV supply curves in China were constructed. PV technical potential was estimated around 39.6 PWh to 442 PWh. The uncertainty of PV technical potential was quantified. The cost of PV ranges from 0.12 CNY/kWh to 7.93 CNY/kWh. China's PV economic potential far exceeds its projected electricity demand.

How is solar PV power generation calculated in China?

Solar PV power generation was calculated according to the system parameters and assumptions shown in the Methods. In China, the cities with the highest and lowest solar PV power generation are Ngari (32.50° N, 80.11° E; around 1,976 kWh kW p−1) and Chongqing (29.43° N, 106.91° E; around 732 kWh kW p−1), respectively.

Can photovoltaic electricity be compared to grid prices in China?

Although solar photovoltaic use grows rapidly in China, comparison with grid prices is difficult as photovoltaic electricity prices depend on local factors. Using prefecture-level data, Yan et al. find that 100% of user-side systems can achieve grid parity, while 22% can produce electricity cheaper than coal-based power plants.

Does China have a price threshold for solar power?

The cost of solar PV electricity generation is affected by many local factors, making it a challenge to understand whether China has reached the threshold at which a grid-connected solar PV system supplies electricity to the end user at the same price as grid-supplied power or the price of desulfurized coal electricity, or even lower.

Is promoting solar PV generation in China cost-effective?

These results strongly support the argument that promoting the total solar PV generation in China is cost-effective. The price of supplying such solar ranges from 0.14 CNY/kWh to 0.25 CNY/kWh nationally in the pessimistic scenario, and from 0.12 CNY/kWh to 0.25 CNY/kWh in the optimistic scenario, without considering transmission cost.

Is China's solar PV potential priced lower than coal-fired energy?

According to our results, approximately 78.6 % and 99.9 % of China's technical solar PV potential are priced lower than the benchmark price of coal-fired energy in pessimistic and optimistic scenario.