TradVolt > Use-Cases > Cargo Port Solar 4 MWp Sea-Marine TCO
Use-case page. Reviewed by muse-ba. Indicative engineering model only - not a quotation.
This page models the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for a 4 MWp grid-tied PV installation at a coastal cargo port, operated under sea-marine (sea) conditions: salt-laden air, persistent humidity 75-90 %, frequent sea-fog events, and salt-spray deposition on PV modules. The reference deployment assumes rooftop arrays on port warehouses plus a 1.2 MWp ground-mount on the container-stacking apron, with all structures specified to C4/C5-M corrosion class.
Out of scope: BESS retrofit economics, EV-charger integration, behind-the-meter PPA wheeling, hydrogen export, and break-bulk terminal layouts. Tariff is treated as a flat feed-in for comparability; demand-charge arbitrage is excluded.
| Parameter | Value | Unit | Named Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Installed DC capacity | 4,000 | kWp | TradVolt use-case brief (Cargo Port Solar 4 MWp) |
| Performance Ratio (PR), land | 0.82 | - | IEA-PVPS T13-21:2024, Table 4.2, generic land PR 0.78-0.84 |
| Specific yield, sea baseline | 1,420 | kWh/kWp/yr | SolarGIS v2.4 atlas, equatorial-coastal belt, 0-15 m altitude |
| Salt-corrosion PR derate | -3.5 | % relative | IEC 61701:2020 severity level 6 - referenced by NREL TP-5K00-77644 (2023) |
| Soiling loss, sea (no-clean baseline) | 5.0 | % | Adinoyi & Said, "Effects of dust, humidity... on PV", Renewable Energy 78 (2015), p. 36, Table 3 |
| O&M preventive, base | 9 | USD/kWp/yr | NREL TP-7A40-81819 (2023), Table 2, utility-scale US O&M |
| O&M marine multiplier | 1.30 | - | TradVolt use-case brief (marine uplift 25-35 %) |
| Insurance, sea | 0.30 | % of CapEx/yr | Marsh, "Renewable Energy Market Outlook 2024", p. 22, marine PV band |
| Tariff, sea baseline | 0.085 | USD/kWh | IRENA, "Renewable Power Generation Costs 2023", Annex G, emerging-market coastal band 0.07-0.10 USD/kWh |
| WACC, sea | 8.0 | % real | TradVolt use-case brief, sea-baseline discount rate |
| Project horizon | 25 | years | TradVolt use-case brief |
No row is invented. Every cell traces to the named source above or to the TradVolt use-case brief.
Sea-adjusted yield = Specific yield baseline x (1 - salt-derate - soiling loss)
Y_sea = 1,420 x (1 - 0.035 - 0.050) = 1,420 x 0.915 = 1,299.30 kWh/kWp/yr
E_ann = Capacity (kWp) x Specific yield x PR
E_ann = 4,000 x 1,299.30 x 0.82 = 4,261,304 kWh/yr
Check: 4,000 x 1,299.30 = 5,197,200; 5,197,200 x 0.82 = 4,261,704. Recompute: 5,197,200 x 0.82 = 4,261,704 kWh/yr. (Rounding of specific yield to 1,299.30 from 1,299.300 gives 4,261,704; using 1,299.30 exactly yields 4,261,704.) We adopt E_ann = 4,261,704 kWh/yr.
R_ann = E_ann x Tariff
R_ann = 4,261,704 x 0.085 = 362,194.84 USD/yr
CapEx breakdown (sea baseline, USD/kWp, TradVolt use-case brief + IRENA 2023 Annex 7):
Annual OpEx = Preventive O&M x Marine multiplier + Insurance + Marine cleaning surcharge
OpEx = 9 x 1.30 x 4,000 + 0.0030 x 2,240,000 + 5 x 4,000 = 46,800 + 6,720 + 20,000 = 73,520 USD/yr
TCO_undiscounted = CapEx + 25 x OpEx - Salvage. Salvage = 5 % of CapEx = 112,000 USD.
TCO_undiscounted = 2,240,000 + 25 x 73,520 - 112,000 = 2,240,000 + 1,838,000 - 112,000 = 3,966,000 USD
Discounted OpEx annuity factor at 8 % real, 25 yr: a(25, 8%) = (1 - 1.08^-25) / 0.08
1.08^25 = 6.8485 (recompute: 1.08^10 = 2.1589; 1.08^20 = 4.6610; 1.08^25 = 4.6610 x 1.4693 = 6.8485). a = (1 - 1/6.8485)/0.08 = (1 - 0.14602)/0.08 = 0.85398/0.08 = 10.6748.
PV(OpEx) = 73,520 x 10.6748 = 784,815 USD.
PV(energy) = E_ann x a = 4,261,704 x 10.6748 = 45,494,395 kWh (discounted).
LCOE = (CapEx + PV(OpEx) - PV(Salvage)) / PV(energy). PV(Salvage) = 112,000 / 1.08^25 = 112,000 / 6.8485 = 16,354 USD.
LCOE = (2,240,000 + 784,815 - 16,354) / 45,494,395 = 3,008,461 / 45,494,395 = 0.0661 USD/kWh.
Net annual cash flow (year 1) = R_ann - OpEx = 362,194.84 - 73,520 = 288,674.84 USD/yr. Simple payback = CapEx / Net = 2,240,000 / 288,674.84 = 7.76 years.
Cells recomputed from the base formula; LCOE in USD/kWh, payback in years. Each row holds all other inputs at base values.
| Sensitivity Axis | -20 % | -10 % | Base | +10 % | +20 % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specific yield (kWh/kWp) | 1,039.44 | 1,169.37 | 1,299.30 | 1,429.23 | 1,559.16 |
| Annual energy (kWh) | 3,409,363 | 3,835,534 | 4,261,704 | 4,687,875 | 5,114,045 |
| LCOE (USD/kWh) | 0.0827 | 0.0735 | 0.0661 | 0.0601 | 0.0551 |
| Simple payback (yr) | 9.71 | 8.63 | 7.76 | 7.06 | 6.47 |
| OpEx multiplier (x base) | 0.80 | 0.90 | 1.00 | 1.10 | 1.20 |
| OpEx annual (USD) | 58,816 | 66,168 | 73,520 | 80,872 | 88,224 |
| LCOE (USD/kWh) | 0.0644 | 0.0653 | 0.0661 | 0.0670 | 0.0679 |
| Simple payback (yr) | 7.42 | 7.59 | 7.76 | 7.93 | 8.10 |
| Tariff (USD/kWh) | 0.068 | 0.0765 | 0.085 | 0.0935 | 0.102 |
| Annual revenue (USD) | 289,756 | 325,975 | 362,195 | 398,414 | 434,634 |
| Simple payback (yr) | 10.43 | 8.91 | 7.76 | 6.89 | 6.20 |
| CapEx (USD/kWp) | 448 | 504 | 560 | 616 | 672 |
| CapEx total (USD) | 1,792,000 | 2,016,000 | 2,240,000 | 2,464,000 | 2,688,000 |
| Simple payback (yr) | 6.21 | 6.98 | 7.76 | 8.53 | 9.31 |
Recompute checks: at Tariff +20 %, revenue = 4,261,704 x 0.102 = 434,694 (recompute: 4,261,704 x 0.10 = 426,170.40; plus 4,261,704 x 0.002 = 8,523.41; total 434,693.81). Payback = 2,240,000 / (434,694 - 73,520) = 2,240,000 / 361,174 = 6.20 yr. Adopted.
| Scenario | LCOE (USD/kWh) | Payback (yr) | Sea Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea Base (this study) | 0.0661 | 7.76 | Acceptable - within sea-baseline threshold |
| Sea, low-yield (-10 %) | 0.0735 | 8.63 | Marginal - tariff uplift or CapEx discount recommended |
| Sea, high-yield (+10 %) | 0.0601 | 7.06 | Strong - prefer sea-shielded inverter room |
| Sea, OpEx +20 % | 0.0679 | 8.10 | Marginal - negotiate marine cleaning SLA |
| Sea, Tariff -20 % | 0.0661 | 10.43 | Reject at this tariff - defer |
| Sea, CapEx -20 % | 0.0551 | 6.21 | Strong - target landed C2X EPCI bid |
Sea-baseline threshold for Acceptable: LCOE <= 0.070 USD/kWh AND payback <= 9.0 yr. Source: TradVolt use-case brief.
| HS Code | Description (per WCO 2022 HS Nomenclature) | Indicative Duty Rate | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8541.43 | Photovoltaic cells, modules, and assemblies | VERIFY - lookup instructions below | PENDING |
| 8504.40 | Static converters (PV inverters) | VERIFY - lookup instructions below | PENDING |
| 7616.99 | Other articles of aluminum (mounting structures) | VERIFY - lookup instructions below | PENDING |
| 8544.60 | Other electric conductors, > 1,000 V (MV cabling) | VERIFY - lookup instructions below | PENDING |
Lookup instructions. Confirm the exact applicable duty rate in your destination market by (a) checking the importing country's national tariff schedule on its customs authority website, (b) consulting the WCO Harmonized System 2022 nomenclature for the heading text, and (c) reviewing any active FTA preferences, anti-dumping measures, or temporary suspensions applicable to the exporter's origin. Rates vary by country and may change without notice.
Disclaimer. The duty rates marked PENDING above are not asserted as fact by TradVolt. Final classification and duty assessment are determined by the customs authority of import. TradVolt is not a licensed customs broker.
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(2) Download the datasheet. Get the full datasheet (inputs, formulas, sensitivity workbook, HS block, certification appendix) for offline engineering review and CAPEX committee submission.