Published on: May 21, 2025 / update from: May 21, 2025 - Author: Konrad Wolfenstein
Solar Park | Electricity control costs for photovoltaic open-air facilities: meaning and economy with example-Image: Xpert.digital
Solar energy in comparison of costs: Photovoltaics scores against conventional energies
Photovoltaic open-air facilities: Is the investment worth more than ever?
The current electricity control costs for photovoltaic open-air surface systems between 4.1 and 6.9 cents per kilowatt hour clearly show how competitive solar energy has become compared to conventional energy sources. This development is significant for the energy industry and the economy of solar systems.
What are electricity costs?
Power control costs (Levelized Cost of Electricity, LCOE) refer to the average costs that arise in the production of a kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity over the entire lifespan of an energy generation plant. This key figure enables direct cost comparison between different energy generation technologies.
The calculation includes:
- Investment costs for purchase and installation
- Operating and maintenance costs
- Financing costs
- Any fuel costs incurred
- Dismantling costs at the end of the service life
The formula is simplified: (Current value of the total costs over the service life) / (current value of the entire current generated in the course of the lifespan).
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Photovoltaic open-air facilities in the cost comparison
With electricity covering costs from 4.1 to 6.9 cents per kilowatt hour, photovoltaic open space systems are currently the most cost-effective form of electricity generation in Germany. For comparison: the cost of other energy sources is significantly higher:
- Lignite: 15.1 to 25.7 cents/kWh
- Nuclear energy: up to 49 cents/kWh
The Fraunhofer researchers even predict that these costs could continue to drop to 3.1 to 5.0 cents per kilowatt hour by 2045.
When is a photovoltaic open-air area economy?
A photovoltaic system is considered economical if the income from the feed-in tariff and the electricity costs saved exceeds investment and operating costs. Several factors play a crucial role in open space systems:
1.
The economy increases with the size of the system. Many projectors only become active with at least four to five hectares at area sizes, as there are scale effects. However, smaller projects can also be profitable if the electricity generated can be used in the immediate vicinity.
2. Remuneration and marketing
The following remuneration models are currently offered:
- Plants below 1,000 kWp: fixed EEG remuneration of 7.00 cents per kWh
- Plants over 1,000 kWp: Participation in tender procedures with a maximum value of 6.8 cents per kWh for 2025
Attachments are also increasingly operated outside of the EEG funding via Power-Purchase-Agreements (PPA).
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3. Amortization time
The typical amortization time for photovoltaic systems is between 10 and 15 years. After this point in time, the original investment is refinanced and the system generates profit for the rest of its lifespan of 20 to 30 years.
4. Network parity
The network parity describes the point where the costs for self -generated solar power are the same or lower than the costs of electricity from the public network. This threshold was reached in Germany in 2012, which fundamentally improved the economy of solar systems.
The special economy of open space systems
Outdoor facilities offer several economic advantages compared to roof systems:
- Lower investment costs: Installation on open space is often easier and cheaper than on roofs.
- Optimal orientation: open space systems can be perfectly aligned with the sun, which leads to higher yields.
- Scale effects: Larger systems benefit from lower costs per installed kilowatt.
Cost development
The electricity cost of photovoltaics has dropped drastically in recent years - between 2010 and 2020 by around 90%. This trend is likely to continue, albeit at a moderate pace.
For comparison: The current electricity prices for end users are around 26.1 cents/kWh for new customers and 34.7 cents/kWh for existing customers. This illustrates the significant difference between generation costs and end customer prices.
Economically and sustainable: Why convince solar parks in open spaces
With electricity control costs of 4.1 to 6.9 cents per kilowatt hour, photovoltaic open space systems have long since exceeded the threshold for economy. They not only represent the most cost -effective form of electricity generation, but also offer attractive investment opportunities with manageable amortization times. The combination of low generation costs, long -term increasing market prices for electricity and various marketing options makes open space systems an economically sensible investment - both for professional projectors as well as for municipalities and agricultural companies with corresponding surface resources.
Photovoltaic open-air facilities: performance potential Example on 4-5 hectares
The area efficiency is a central parameter for the planning of photovoltaic open space systems. Depending on the technical configuration and location conditions, an average of 3.6 to 7 MW installed can be implemented on an area of 4 to 5 hectares. This bandwidth results from the following factors:
Area performance relation
Modern open space systems reach 0.9–1.4 MW per hectare today. This value depends on:
- Module technology: High -performance modules with efficiency over 22% reduce the space requirement.
- Change system: East-West orientation or supporting systems increase space use by up to 25%.
- Row distances: Larger distances between module series (for minimizing shading) reduce the power density, but also enable AGRI PV use.
Area and performance: Depending on which technology and settings are used, you can generate performance between 0.9 and 1.4 megawatts through solar power per hectare of land (this is about the size and a half football fields).
What influences the performance per hectare:
- Solar panel technology: More efficient solar panels need less space.
- Arrangement of the solar modules: Special orientations or systems that follow the sun ensure that more electricity can be generated.
- Distance between the module series: If the solar panels are further apart, less electricity is generated per area, but the area can possibly be used for other purposes, e.g. B. for agriculture (Agri-PV).
Example calculation:
- If you use 4 hectares of space and assume that you create an average of 1.1 megawatts per hectare, this results in a total of 4.4 megawatts.
- If the conditions are optimal and you can create 1.4 megawatts per hectare, you could create 7 megawatts on 5 hectares.
For 4 hectares in standard conditions:
- Power = area (in HA) × performance per hectare (in MW/ha)
↪ power = 4 ha x 1.1 mW/ha = 4.4 mW
For 5 hectares in optimal conditions:
- Power = area (in HA) × performance per hectare (in MW/ha)
↪ power = 5 ha x 1.4 mW/ha = 7 mW
In short: more efficiency and better technology = more electricity on the same area. 4 hectares can generate about 4.4 MW - or even more in ideal conditions.
Practical examples and limits
- A typical 5 MW system requires about 4.5 hectares when using standardized uprising.
- In North Rhine-Westphalia, systems with 1.35 MW/ha were realized in 2023 by combining bifacial modules and optimized row distances.
- Network connection capacities often have a limiting effect: A 20 kV average voltage connection is required for a 7 MW system, the availability of which must be checked in advance.
Economic framework conditions
The investment costs are currently at € 600–900/kWp, which means € 3–4.5 million for a 5 MW system. With a full load hour of 950–1,100 hours in Germany, there is an annual yield from:
5 mW x 1,050 h = 5,250 MWh
With a current price of 6.8 ct/kWh (EEG advertising value 2025), this generates annual revenues of € 357,000, which enables an amortization time of 9–12 years.
Future potential
With the introduction of tandem PV modules (efficiency> 30%), the power density could increase to 2 MW/ha by 2030, which would make up to 5 hectares of up to 10 MW.
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Novel photovoltaic solution for reducing costs and saving time
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