What Drives the Price of Solar Photovoltaic Electricity in Developing Countries?
This brief summarizes an analysis of 37 winning bids for utility-scale solar PV plants procured through auctions in 13 developing countries between 2013 and 2016. For comparison, the full report, obtainable from the authors, also describes examples...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Brief |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2017
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/324411488435629438/What-drives-the-price-of-solar-photovoltaic-electricity-in-developing-countries http://hdl.handle.net/10986/26191 |
| Summary: | This brief summarizes an analysis of 37
winning bids for utility-scale solar PV plants procured
through auctions in 13 developing countries between 2013 and
2016. For comparison, the full report, obtainable from the
authors, also describes examples of a failed PV auction in
Indonesia and a large, bilaterally negotiated procurement of
PV capacity in Nigeria. The 37 plants were selected based on
the availability of plant-specific information and the
desire to achieve a comprehensive overview of the evolution
of auction results across countries and over time, in
particular in countries such as Brazil and South Africa that
have organized multiple rounds of auctions. The 37 plants
were chosen from a set of some 500 winning bids covering
more than 50 auctions in 16 countries. Although the sample
is relatively small, it is large enough to explain the
lowest announced prices and to indicate whether they are
supported by market fundamentals. The analysis includes (i)
a simple financial model (based on plant-specific
parameters) that explains bidding prices and (ii) a
comparison of auction designs in the countries covered,
along with descriptions of the conditions under which
individual auctions took place. Interviews with stakeholders
active in utility-scale solar PV markets, including
developers, utilities, consulting companies advising
governments, bidders, government officials, and financial
institutions, complement the analysis. Stakeholders verified
some of the assumptions and conclusions, identified business
strategies of market players, provided qualitative details
about auction processes, and suggested avenues for bringing
more sustainability into future solar PV development. |
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