Data source for PV default costs

Hello,
I would like to learn more about the data that SAM uses for default values. I am particularly interested in the cost data for PV and financial default data.
Thank you for this invaluable resource.
best,
Mahayla

Dear Mahalya,

Please see the System Cost Data page, which you can find on the Resource menu above. Here is the direct link to the page:

sam.nrel.gov/cost

Best regards,
Paul.

Hello Paul,
Thank you for the response. The most recent study for that PV default data is from 2013. The utility scale PV $/installed watt on the 2017 version of SAM is $1.42. That seems rather low. Also, I wasn't able to find any projections that low in the material you pointed me to. I imagine that you are using estimations for current prices. Is there a way that I can learn more about those numbers?
Thank you,
Mahayla

Dear Mahayla,

The default costs in SAM only roughly represent current market conditions. They are designed to give people a reasonable starting point for running the model when they are first learning how to use it. We expect them to change the costs to ones appropriate for their analysis.

If you are interested in the PV costs, you might find more useful information on websites like these than in SAM:

emp.lbl.gov/projects/solar

en.openei.org/apps/TCDB/transparent_cost_database

www.nrel.gov/analysis/data_tech_baseline.html

en.openei.org/wiki/The_Open_PV_Project

Best regards,
Paul.

Dear Paul,
Thank you for pointing in the direction of these resources.
Best,
Mahayla