Onsite Energy Solar Panel Prices

The price of solar modules has trended, broadly speaking, from $240 per kW in 2020, to $280 in 2021 and 2022 during the polysilicon shortage, then $210 in 2023 as the shortage eased, and has fallen to around $110 per kW this year. And for a brief moment, prices did fall to what we believe was, more or less,…

Installing solar onsite via a PPA requires zero upfront capital expenditure and—due to the low price of solar in China—onsite installations offer significant opportunity for energy cost savings and progress on environmental performance.

Prices for Chinese solar modules have reached record lows, according to the latest data from OPIS. The benchmark assessment for TOPCon modules from China has fallen to $0.100 per watt, a decline of $0.005 per watt compared to the previous week. Similarly, Mono PERC module prices have also dropped by $0.005 per watt, now standing at $0.090 per watt.

Onsite solar is the primary opportunity for corporates to focus on in China. A steep drop in costs has resulted in greatly improved returns, making PPAs for onsite generation an attractive option for C&Is. In addition, the Chinese government offers a subsidy for onsite solar generation of ¥.37/kWh (about $.06/kWh).

These market dynamics underscore the complexities facing solar module sellers as they navigate fluctuating demand and competitive pricing across global markets. In the U.S., Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) prices for TOPCon modules have recently climbed into the low-to-mid $0.30 per watt range, according to a buyer's observation.

In addition, the Chinese government offers a subsidy for onsite solar generation of ¥.37/kWh (about $.06/kWh). In 2018, this subsidy decreased for the first time, and is expected to continue to decrease in the coming years.