Cost-of-ownership forecasting for photovoltaic production equipment

The recent decline in module market prices is the most telling sign of a need for continuous reductions in PV production costs. With this in mind, the cost efficiency of production processes is, next to stable product quality, a vital objective in the planning of production facilities. In this paper, the lessons learned in the area of cost-of-ownership (COO) forecasting methodologies for manufacturing equipment will be analyzed and evaluated for their potential application to investment decisions in the PY industry. This paper will analyze the cost structure of the PY industry with the aim of underlining the importance of a systematic cost-of-ownership approach.