Renewable Energy, Solar & Wind Manufacturing worked example

Solar Module Cost at 99% module yield: a worked example

Push module yield up to 99% and the picture changes. This example computes every intermediate figure at that operating point. A PV plant planner sizing a production run uses it to combine cell and encapsulant cost, flash-test yield and changeover into a module cost.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Modules Produced: 1,000 modules (unchanged)
  • Cell + BOM Cost: 78 $/module (unchanged)
  • Module Yield: 99 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 94)
  • Lamination Line Setup: 3,500 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Total = modules x (cell + BOM cost) x module yield% + lamination setup) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 80,720 $ for total solar module cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 80.72 $ / piece for solar module cost per unit.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 77,220 $ for variable solar module cost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 3,500 $ for fixed solar module cost adder.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where module yield sits at 94% and the headline result is 76,820 $, this scenario comes in 5.08% above the baseline at 80,720 $.
  • It computes total run cost as modules x (cell + BOM cost) x yield% plus lamination setup, then divides by modules for a per-unit figure. The value of this scenario is the size of the gap it exposes: that gap, priced out over a year, is the budget you can justify spending to close it.

Results at a glance

  • Total solar module cost: 80,720 $ (headline result)
  • Solar module cost per unit: 80.72 $ / piece
  • Variable solar module cost: 77,220 $
  • Fixed solar module cost adder: 3,500 $

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Solar Module Cost calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.