Depot Solar 700 kWp EU — Use-Case and Total Cost of Ownership
Verdict (evidence-date 2026-09-22): 700 kWp rooftop solar PV on a Central EU logistics depot, 25-year horizon, 6.00% nominal discount — base case NPV = +1,135,045 EUR, IRR = 18.84%, simple payback = 5.59 years, discounted payback = 6.92 years, LCOE = 0.0911 EUR/kWh. Equipment assumption: Tier-1 mono-PERC 550 Wp modules (LONGi Hi-MO 5m LR5-72HBD 540–555 Wp family, JinkoSolar Tiger Neo JKM-N-54HL4R-BDB 430–455 Wp family, or Trina Solar Vertex TSM-NEG19RC.20 550 Wp family), three-phase string inverter family Sungrow SG125CX (or Huawei SUN2000-125KTL-M0, or Growatt MAX 125KTL3-X LV), K2 Systems pitched-roof rail family (SingleRail / X-Rail / D-Dome). Inputs and cashflow below; all figures computed from the scenario model.
| Decision metric | Value | Decision rule | Pass? |
|---|---|---|---|
| NPV (25 yr, 6.00%) | +1,135,045 EUR | NPV > 0 | Yes |
| IRR | 18.84% | IRR > 6.00% (WACC) | Yes |
| Simple payback | 5.59 yr | ≤ 10 yr | Yes |
| Discounted payback | 6.92 yr | ≤ 12 yr | Yes |
| LCOE | 0.0911 EUR/kWh | < grid import 0.22 EUR/kWh | Yes |
| Capex ceiling | 1,100 EUR/kWp | NPV ≥ 0 at base yield 1,050 kWh/kWp | Yes (665,000 EUR @ 950 EUR/kWp) |
1. Equipment specification (model-level)
| Item | Model family | Public reference |
|---|---|---|
| PV modules | LONGi Hi-MO 5m LR5-72HBD 540–555 Wp mono-PERC, OR JinkoSolar Tiger Neo JKM-N-54HL4R-BDB 430–455 Wp n-type, OR Trina Solar Vertex TSM-NEG19RC.20 550 Wp | LONGi Hi-MO 5m module family · JinkoSolar product landing · Trina Solar product landing |
| String inverter (125 kW class) | Sungrow SG125CX (1500 Vdc, 3-phase, IP66) OR Huawei SUN2000-125KTL-M0 OR Growatt MAX 125KTL3-X LV | Sungrow string inverter range · Huawei FusionSolar landing · Growatt product landing |
| Mounting system | K2 Systems pitched-roof rail family — SingleRail / X-Rail / D-Dome (trapezoidal or sandwich roof) | K2 Systems PV mounting landing |
| Module safety | IEC 61730-1:2016 / IEC 61730-2:2016 (also UL 61730-1 listed) | IEC Webstore catalogue — search "IEC 61730-1:2016" and "IEC 61730-2:2016" · UL 61730-1 product page |
| Module performance | IEC 61215-1:2021 / IEC 61215-1-1:2021 / IEC 61215-2:2021 (crystalline silicon) | IEC Webstore catalogue — search "IEC 61215-1:2021", "IEC 61215-1-1:2021", "IEC 61215-2:2021" |
| Inverter safety | IEC 62109-1:2010 / IEC 62109-2:2011 | IEC Webstore catalogue — search "IEC 62109-1:2010" and "IEC 62109-2:2011" |
OEM datasheets, manuals and current revision numbers are confirmed against the supplier at RFQ submission; torque, Voc and operating limits (per IEC 61730-1:2016 and the Sungrow SG125CX datasheet) are listed in the datasheet PDF handed to installers.
2. TCO summary (computed)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Currency | EUR |
| Horizon (years) | 25 |
| Discount rate | 6.00 % |
| Total undiscounted cost (EUR) | 984,467.88 |
| Total discounted cost / PV of costs (EUR) | 818,324.27 |
| Total undiscounted benefit (EUR) | 4,109,386.98 |
| Total discounted benefit (EUR) | 1,953,369.24 |
| NPV (EUR) | 1,135,044.97 |
| IRR | 0.1884 |
| Simple payback (year) | 5.59 |
| Discounted payback (year) | 6.92 |
| LCOE (EUR/kWh) | 0.0911 |
3. Year-by-year cash flow (computed)
| Year | Cost (EUR) | Benefit (EUR) | Net (EUR) | Discount factor | Discounted net (EUR) | Energy (kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 665,000.00 | 0.0000 | -665,000.00 | 1.00 | -665,000.00 | 0.0000 |
| 1 | 8,313.00 | 120,540.00 | 112,227.00 | 0.9434 | 105,874.53 | 735,000.00 |
| 2 | 8,479.26 | 123,535.42 | 115,056.16 | 0.8900 | 102,399.57 | 731,325.00 |
| 3 | 8,648.85 | 126,605.27 | 117,956.43 | 0.8396 | 99,038.49 | 727,668.38 |
| 4 | 8,821.82 | 129,751.42 | 120,929.59 | 0.7921 | 95,787.56 | 724,030.03 |
| 5 | 8,998.26 | 132,975.74 | 123,977.48 | 0.7473 | 92,643.18 | 720,409.88 |
| 6 | 9,178.22 | 136,280.18 | 127,101.96 | 0.7050 | 89,601.87 | 716,807.83 |
| 7 | 9,361.79 | 139,666.75 | 130,304.96 | 0.6651 | 86,660.24 | 713,223.79 |
| 8 | 9,549.02 | 143,137.47 | 133,588.44 | 0.6274 | 83,815.04 | 709,657.68 |
| 9 | 9,740.00 | 146,694.43 | 136,954.43 | 0.5919 | 81,063.12 | 706,109.39 |
| 10 | 9,934.80 | 150,339.79 | 140,404.98 | 0.5584 | 78,401.41 | 702,578.84 |
| 11 | 10,133.50 | 154,075.73 | 143,942.23 | 0.5268 | 75,826.97 | 699,065.95 |
| 12 | 10,336.17 | 157,904.51 | 147,568.34 | 0.4970 | 73,336.95 | 695,570.62 |
| 13 | 63,742.89 | 161,828.44 | 98,085.55 | 0.4688 | 45,986.33 | 692,092.76 |
| 14 | 10,753.75 | 165,849.88 | 155,096.13 | 0.4423 | 68,599.17 | 688,632.30 |
| 15 | 10,968.83 | 169,971.25 | 159,002.42 | 0.4173 | 66,346.15 | 685,189.14 |
| 16 | 11,188.20 | 174,195.03 | 163,006.83 | 0.3936 | 64,167.03 | 681,763.19 |
| 17 | 11,411.97 | 178,523.78 | 167,111.81 | 0.3714 | 62,059.38 | 678,354.38 |
| 18 | 11,640.21 | 182,960.10 | 171,319.89 | 0.3503 | 60,020.86 | 674,962.60 |
| 19 | 11,873.01 | 187,506.65 | 175,633.64 | 0.3305 | 58,049.20 | 671,587.79 |
| 20 | 12,110.47 | 192,166.19 | 180,055.72 | 0.3118 | 56,142.23 | 668,229.85 |
| 21 | 12,352.68 | 196,941.52 | 184,588.84 | 0.2942 | 54,297.81 | 664,888.70 |
| 22 | 12,599.73 | 201,835.52 | 189,235.79 | 0.2775 | 52,513.90 | 661,564.26 |
| 23 | 12,851.73 | 206,851.13 | 193,999.41 | 0.2618 | 50,788.51 | 658,256.44 |
| 24 | 13,108.76 | 211,991.39 | 198,882.62 | 0.2470 | 49,119.74 | 654,965.16 |
| 25 | 13,370.94 | 217,259.37 | 203,888.43 | 0.2330 | 47,505.73 | 651,690.33 |
4. Inputs (base case) and per-claim sources
| Input | Value | Unit | Classification | Source URL (per-claim) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installed DC capacity | 700 | kWp | Use-case spec | Tradvolt use-case spec, depot-solar-700kwp-eu-r9 (internal) |
| Specific yield (year 1) | 1,050 | kWh/kWp/yr | Model assumption (bounded) | EU PVGIS calculator (PVGIS-SARAH2 TMY): https://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvg_tools/en/ — Central EU site-specific value |
| Performance ratio | 0.82 | — | Model assumption (bounded) | IEA-PVPS Trends in PV Applications 2024 (commercial-rooftop PR band): https://iea-pvps.org/trends-reports/trends-in-pv-applications-2024/ |
| Self-consumption share | 0.65 | — | Model assumption (bounded) | Daytime-baseload depot profile; benchmark range referenced in IEA-PVPS Trends in PV Applications 2024: https://iea-pvps.org/trends-reports/trends-in-pv-applications-2024/ |
| Module degradation (linear) | 0.5 | %/yr | Model assumption (bounded) | IEC 61215-1:2021 long-term sequential test median — search at https://webstore.iec.ch/ |
| Capex (turnkey, EU mid 2024) | 950 | EUR/kWp | Model assumption (bounded) | Fraunhofer ISE Photovoltaics Report (PV cost benchmark band): https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en/publications/studies/photovoltaics-report.html; UK DESNZ solar PV cost data (C&I EPC cost-per-kW benchmark): https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/solar-pv-cost-data |
| O&M (annual) | 1.0 | % of capex/yr | Model assumption (bounded) | Fraunhofer ISE Photovoltaics Report (O&M cost band): https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en/publications/studies/photovoltaics-report.html |
| Insurance (annual) | 0.25 | % of capex/yr | Model assumption (bounded) | Insurance premium band referenced in Fraunhofer ISE Photovoltaics Report: https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en/publications/studies/photovoltaics-report.html; confirmed at RFQ |
| Inverter replacement (year 13) | 8.0 | % of capex | Model assumption (bounded) | Fraunhofer ISE Photovoltaics Report (mid-life string-inverter replacement band): https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en/publications/studies/photovoltaics-report.html |
| Grid import price (year 1) | 0.22 | EUR/kWh | Model assumption (bounded) | Eurostat Data Browser, electricity prices for non-household consumers (EU27 industrial band): https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser |
| Grid price escalation | 3.0 | %/yr nominal | Model assumption (bounded) | Bank of England Monetary Policy Report Aug 2025 (CPI/inflation outlook context): https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy-report/2025/august-2025 |
| Discount rate (nominal) | 6.0 | %/yr | Model assumption (bounded) | Depot-level WACC proxy; benchmark range referenced in Fraunhofer ISE Photovoltaics Report: https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en/publications/studies/photovoltaics-report.html |
| Project horizon | 25 | years | Model assumption (bounded) | Module service life + 1 mid-life inverter swap; benchmark range in Fraunhofer ISE Photovoltaics Report: https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en/publications/studies/photovoltaics-report.html |
| Export / feed-in tariff | 0.06 | EUR/kWh | Model assumption (bounded) | Member-state FiT midpoint; comparable range at UK Ofgem Smart Export Guarantee programme page (provider-dependent 0.05–0.10 GBP/kWh): https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-and-social-schemes/smart-export-guarantee-seg |
| Residual value | 0 | EUR | Bounded model assumption | Terminal value not credited at end of horizon; bounded model assumption |
5. Scenario verdict
Scenario A — Southern EU depot (Spain, Italy, Greece)
Specific yield 1,200 kWh/kWp, self-consumption 55%. Verdict: attractive — IRR > WACC, payback < 8 years, NPV remains strongly positive. Yield reference: EU PVGIS photovoltaic calculator.
Scenario B — Central EU depot (Germany, Netherlands, France) — base case
Specific yield 1,050 kWh/kWp, self-consumption 65%. Verdict: proceed at capex ≤ 1,100 EUR/kWp and yield ≥ 1,050 kWh/kWp — NPV = +1,135,045 EUR, IRR = 18.84%, payback 5.59 yr (simple) / 6.92 yr (discounted).
Scenario C — High-load depot with EV charging hub
Specific yield 1,050 kWh/kWp, self-consumption 80%, grid price 0.26 EUR/kWh. Verdict: best-case economics; daytime EV charging load window aligns with PV peak. EV supply equipment reference: IEC 61851-1:2017 — Electric vehicle conductive charging system — Part 1 (exact document page).
Scenario D — Stressed economics
Capex 1,100 EUR/kWp, specific yield 900 kWh/kWp, grid price 0.16 EUR/kWh, escalation 1%/yr. Verdict: marginal — survives only with concessional finance or PPA offtake.
6. Certification block
| Item | Standard / class | Reference URL |
|---|---|---|
| Modules — performance | IEC 61215-1:2021 / IEC 61215-1-1:2021 / IEC 61215-2:2021 (c-Si) | IEC Webstore catalogue — search "IEC 61215-1:2021", "IEC 61215-1-1:2021", "IEC 61215-2:2021" |
| Modules — safety | IEC 61730-1:2016 / IEC 61730-2:2016; UL 61730-1 | IEC Webstore catalogue — search "IEC 61730-1:2016" and "IEC 61730-2:2016" · UL 61730-1 product page |
| Inverter — safety | IEC 62109-1:2010 / IEC 62109-2:2011 | IEC Webstore catalogue — search "IEC 62109-1:2010" and "IEC 62109-2:2011" |
| Grid connection | EN 50549-1:2019 / EN 50549-10:2019 (EU harmonised) | IEC Webstore catalogue — search "EN 50549-1:2019" and "EN 50549-10:2019" (CENELEC catalogue) |
| Mounting — structural | EN 1991-1-3 (snow) / EN 1991-1-4 (wind) Eurocodes | https://www.eurocodes.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ |
| Installer qualification | IECRE PV installer cert.; national (e.g. Germany VDE-AR-N 4105) | https://www.iecre.org/ |
| End-of-life | WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU (PV modules under producer-responsibility schemes) | Directive 2012/19/EU |
7. HS code block — duty lookup pointers
| HS / CN code | Description | Lookup path |
|---|---|---|
| 8541.43.00 | Photovoltaic cells assembled in modules or made up into panels | EU TARIC consultation · USITC HTS search · UK Global Tariff lookup · WCO HS Nomenclature 2022 edition |
| 8504.40.84 | Static converters — solar inverters | EU TARIC consultation · USITC HTS search |
| 7610.90.90 | Aluminium structures — mounting kits | EU TARIC consultation |
| 8536.69.90 | Plugs, sockets, connectors — DC/AC | EU TARIC consultation |
Lookup instructions: use the EU TARIC consultation page above; enter the 8-digit CN code, set destination member state, and read the duty measure including any anti-dumping suspensions or temporary tariff lines in force on the date of import. For non-EU destinations, use the USITC HTS search (US), UK Global Tariff (UK), Japan Customs, Australian Border Force, SARS, Ghana Revenue Authority, or Uganda Revenue Authority.
Disclaimer: HS classifications and duty measures are placeholders; final duty rates depend on exact product description, origin, customs value and the measures in force at the time of customs clearance. Tradvolt does not provide customs advice; consult a licensed customs broker before procurement. Incoterms 2020 terms govern delivery obligations — see ICC Incoterms 2020 official rules.
8. RFQ CTA
Request a formal quote for a 700 kWp depot solar system sized to your roof and your member-state grid code: