How efficient is a rooftop PV system?

We model a baseline 8-kWdc rooftop PV system using 20.8%-efficient, 1.97-m2 monofacial monocrystalline silicon modules from a Tier 1 U.S. supplier, microinverters with an inverter loading ratio (ILR) of 1.21 imported from China with the Section 301 tariff, and a 5-kW/12.5-kWh alternating-current (ac) coupled lithium-ion storage system.

How do market analysts evaluate the cost of PV systems?

Market analysts routinely monitor and report the average cost of PV systems and components, but more detail is needed to understand the impact of recent and future technology developments on cost. Consequently, benchmark systems in the utility-scale, commercial, and residential PV market sectors are evaluated each year.

How many inverters does a PV system use?

The DC cables are connected to 19 utility-scale central inverters, each rated at 4 MW ac, giving the PV system a rated AC power output of 76 MW ac, which corresponds to an inverter loading ratio of 1.32. The inverters are made in Europe in a plant that produces 250 of them each year. These inverters are not subject to import tariffs.

What is the IRA & how does it affect PV installations?

The IRA, which was passed into law in August 2022, created incentives for domestic PV manufacturing and deployment that analysts expect to drive significant increases in U.S. PV installations and use of domestically manufactured components (Feldman et al. 2022).