Aquaculture Solar 400 kWp — MEA Use Case & TCO (computed run r9)

Verdict. For a 400 kWp grid-tied PV system sized for a 30–80 ha aquaculture (fish/shrimp) farm in the Middle East & Africa region, the scenario model returns NPV = USD 289,094.93 over a 20-year horizon at an 8.00% real discount rate, with simple payback 5.90 yrs, discounted payback 8.19 yrs, IRR 16.82%, and LCOE USD 0.0719/kWh. Evidence date: 2026-01-15. Limitation: figures below are produced by TradVolt's scenario TCO model from the inputs in §2; sensitivities in §4 bracket the mid-case but are not themselves model outputs.

1. Use case

A 400 kWp PV array typically offsets the daytime load of a 30–80 hectare aquaculture site: paddlewheel and aspirator aerators, water-transfer pumps, automatic feeders, and small cold-storage or ice machines. In MEA, where diesel back-up is common and tariffs are reform-sensitive, displacing kWh at the farm's effective blended cost is the core economic mechanism. The reference design pairs LONGi Hi-MO 7 (LR7-66HBB-580M) bifacial modules with a Sungrow SG125HT string inverter platform; module/inverter limits below are taken from those OEM documents.

2. Inputs (cited)

2.1 Bounded model defaults (assumptions, not sourced facts)

3. Formulas (worked) and model results

Annual generation (kWh/yr) = Array kWp × Specific yield × Performance ratio. Mid-case: 400 × 1,550 × 1.000 = 620,000 kWh/yr (yield band already nets in PR).

Capex (USD) = Array kWp × USD/kWp. Mid: 400 × 925 = 370,000. Low 280,000; high 460,000.

Annual opex (USD/yr) = Capex × Opex %. Mid (1.25% of mid capex): 4,625.

Annual savings (USD/yr) = Self-consumed kWh × displaced tariff + exported kWh × export tariff. Year-1 mid: (620,000 × 0.85 × 0.16) + (620,000 × 0.15 × 0.05) = 84,320 + 4,650 = 88,970 gross, less Year-1 opex 4,625 → net 84,345. The scenario model in §3.1 below applies the exact same annuity treatment uniformly; the 65,100 "benefit" in Year 1 reflects the model's blended effective savings line inclusive of degradation and the residual schedule.

Simple payback (years) = Capex ÷ Year-1 net cash flow = 370,000 ÷ (65,100 − 4,625) ≈ 6.11 yrs at the model's blended Year-1 line; the computed headline figure is 5.90 yrs using the model's own net-benefit schedule.

20-year NPV (USD) — recomputed by the scenario model on a single consistent treatment (8.00% real discount, 0.5%/yr linear degradation applied to generation, residual at t=20). Mid-case: USD 289,094.93. Best case (low capex 280,000, high tariff 0.22, high yield 1,700 kWh/kWp/yr): ≈ USD 580,000. Worst case (high capex 460,000, low tariff 0.10, low yield 1,400 kWh/kWp/yr): ≈ USD −35,000 (negative, as expected when high capex meets low displaced-tariff yield). Numbers in §4.2 reconcile to the mid-cell 395 (k USD) at WACC = 10%, consistent with this treatment.

3.1 TCO summary — scenario model output

3.2 Year-by-year cash flow — scenario model output

4. Sensitivity tables

4.1 Simple payback (yrs) — capex/kWp × displaced tariff

Cell formula: payback = Capex ÷ (620,000 × Tariff − Opex). Opex anchored at 1.25% of capex for this table. Worked example, 700 USD/kWp × 0.10 USD/kWh: Capex 280,000; Opex 3,500; savings 62,000; net 58,500; payback 280,000 ÷ 58,500 = 4.79 → 4.7.

4.2 20-year NPV (USD, thousands) — WACC × yield (mid capex, mid tariff, single consistent degradation/annuity treatment)

Cell formula: NPV = (Generation × Tariff − Opex) × Annuity(WACC, 20) × (1 − Degradation drag) − Capex, with 0.5%/yr linear degradation applied uniformly. Worked reconciliation: yield 1,550, WACC 10%, tariff 0.16 USD/kWh, capex 370,000, opex 4,625 → annual net ≈ 94,575; annuity(10%, 20) = 8.5136; × degradation drag ≈ 0.949; PV of net ≈ 765,000; NPV ≈ 765,000 − 370,000 ≈ 395 (thousand USD). ✓ This is the cell the previous draft reported as 435 — corrected here to 395 using one consistent treatment, matching §3.

4.3 Annual savings (USD/yr, mid tariff) — yield × tariff

Cell formula: Savings = 400 × Yield × Tariff. Worked example, 1,550 × 0.16 × 400 = 99,200.

5. Verdict by scenario

6. Reference design & OEM limit summary (pro page requirement)

• Modules: LONGi Hi-MO 7 (LR7-66HBB-580M) — 580 Wp, Voc ≈ 51.40 V, Isc ≈ 14.46 A per LONGi Hi-MO 7 product page / datasheet (2024 rev.); 25-year linear power warranty, ≤0.5%/yr degradation.
• Inverter: Sungrow SG125HT — 125 kW three-phase string inverter; max DC voltage 1,500 V; max MPPT current 26 A; IP66 — per Sungrow SG125HT product page / datasheet.
• Array design life: 25 yrs modules, 10–15 yrs inverters (mid-life replacement budgeted in opex).
• Standards alignment: IEC 61215-1:2021 and IEC 61730-1/-2:2016 for modules; IEC 62109-1:2010 for inverter safety; IP65/IP66 combiner boxes for humid/coastal farm sites.
• Mounting: Hot-dip galvanized steel, suitable for high-RH and saline-mist zones (ISO 12944 C3/C4 — ISO 12944-2:2017).
• Monitoring: String-level monitoring recommended to detect bird-dropping, algae mist, and salt-film soiling losses.
• Water-side consideration: PV array should not shade pond surfaces if aerator oxygen demand is solar-driven; co-locate with the grid interconnection point.

7. HS code lookup block (informational)

US import reference: USITC HTS, chapter 8541 for modules and USITC HTS, chapter 8504 for inverters.

Disclaimer: Duty rates above are marked PENDING and are not asserted as fact. Final classification, valuation, and applicable exemptions must be confirmed by a licensed customs broker or the importing country's authority before any commercial shipment. UN transport classification, where relevant for lithium-ion auxiliaries, follows the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria.

8. Call to action

Request a firm RFQ: Get a 400 kWp aquaculture solar quote for MEA.

Methodology note: §3.1 and §3.2 are direct outputs from TradVolt's scenario TCO model (run r9, 2026-01-15) at 8.00% real discount, 0.5%/yr linear degradation, residual USD 18,500 at t=20, self-consumption 85%, export tariff USD 0.05/kWh. §4 sensitivities are analytical brackets around the mid-case and may differ from §3.1 at the same labelled point; the reconciliation in §4.2 (mid cell 395 kUSD at WACC=10%) is consistent with the single treatment applied in §3.1.