Supply-chain cost note
Solar PV Supply Chain Cost Tool: The Real Numbers Behind Solar Manufacturing
It costs $0.124/Wp to make a solar panel in Vietnam using Chinese cells. It costs $0.284/Wp to make the same panel in Germany. An interactive deep-dive into IRENA's 2026 supply chain cost data — polysilicon to module, 6 countries, 4 import scenarios.
Duc Hoang, PMP
Interactive analysis of solar module manufacturing costs across the global supply chain — from polysilicon to finished panels. Explore cost drivers, country comparisons, and import scenarios.
Lowest all-domestic cost (TOPCon)
Global benchmark price
Highest domestic production cost
Germany: import cells vs all-domestic
TOPCon Overtakes PERC by 2028
TOPCon starts costlier but has steeper efficiency gains. By 2030, it reaches $0.168/Wp vs PERC's $0.169/Wp.
Electricity Is the Top Cost Driver
Germany's $0.18/kWh vs China's $0.065/kWh explains 58% of the manufacturing cost gap.
Importing Cells Saves Up to 47%
Importing cells from China vs full domestic production cuts module costs dramatically in high-cost countries.
ESG Adds $0.002–0.003/Wp
ESG certification costs are minor today but their relative share grows as production costs decline.
Module Assembly Is Easiest to Localize
Requires the least capital, labour and electricity — the ideal entry point for domestic manufacturing.
Polysilicon
$0.021–0.023/Wp
12% of total40 kWh/kg electricity intensive
Wafer
$0.033–0.036/Wp
19% of total$500M for 7 GW facility
Cell
$0.036–0.040/Wp
21% of totalSilver paste = top material cost
Module
$0.065–0.083/Wp
47% of totalLowest barrier to localize
Data Source: IRENA (2026), Solar PV Supply Chain Cost Tool: Methodology, Results and Analysis, International Renewable Energy Agency, Abu Dhabi.
This interactive analysis was created by techmadeeasy based on publicly available IRENA data. All cost figures are in 2025 USD unless otherwise noted.