Import 720 W Solar Panels from China to Chile — Carport Use Case (TCO & Landed Cost)

Verdict (model output, 2026-09-22): For a 1 MW_DC carport reference system using a 720 W mono-PV module, the scenario model returns NPV = 838,046 USD, IRR = 31.95 %, simple payback = 3.17 yr, discounted payback = 3.80 yr, LCOE = 0.0336 USD/kWh, over a 25-year horizon at 8.00 % discount, with 330,000 USD year-0 CapEx (pre-duty, pre-VAT) and 22,800 USD year-1 OpEx escalating thereafter. Equipment: Trina Solar Vertex N family (TSM-NEG19RC.20 reference SKU, 720 W). Location: Chile (CN→CL). Duties/VAT: PENDING — lookup. Limitation: figures ILLUSTRATIVE — NOT A QUOTE; buyer PPA / self-consumption tariff and live carrier of record supersede the bands used here.

1. Decision table — base-case vs. sensitivity bands

The base case is the only set of figures sourced from the COMPUTED TABLES. Conservative and optimistic bands retain the base tariff anchor (0.07 USD/kWh) and the COMPUTED TABLES Year-1 OpEx (22,800 USD) but hold capex and yield to ± bounds; resulting paybacks are illustrative sensitivity bands, not computed outputs.

Reference equipment: Trina Solar Vertex N family — module model TSM-NEG19RC.20 (n-type TOPCon monocrystalline, 720 W class, 2382×1134 mm). Public datasheet / product page: https://www.trinasolar.com/us-en (specs JS-rendered; exact PDF revision supplied on request). Bounding assumption: module family name, watt-class and cell technology are taken from the Trina Vertex N public product page; the specific TSM-NEG19RC.20 variant code is treated as an OEM-supplied reference SKU and must be re-confirmed against the datasheet revision supplied with the RFQ. For project-specific torque, voltage and SOC limits, the OEM installation manual (Trina Solar — "Vertex N — Installation Manual", latest revision supplied with the quote) is the only computed document; do not paraphrase torque values here without that revision in hand.

Reference mounting BoS: K2 Systems carport/ground-mount rail and connector family. Public product page (N-Rack ground-mount rail family — driven-pile ground-mount + S-Rack rail, applicable as a BoS reference for carport structures): https://k2-systems.com/en/product-solutions/k2-n-rack-system/ (specific rail kit codes, fastener sets and torque values are OEM-manual–driven and confirmed at RFQ). Bounding assumption: rail system family is named; specific kit code and torque values are not asserted on this page.

Reference inverter/electrical BoS: Sungrow string inverter family for utility / commercial carport (1 MW_DC reference) and Huawei SUN2000 series string inverter with FusionSolar monitoring. Public product pages: https://www.sungrowpower.com/en/products/string-inverter (incl. SG125HT C&I 3-phase; exact datasheet confirmed at RFQ), https://solar.huawei.com/en/products/sun2000-330ktl-h1 (SUN2000-330KTL-H1, 330 kW 3-phase 1500 V DC 8-MPPT). Bounding assumption: inverter + electrical BoS unit-cost band 0.06 USD/W is consistent with public Fraunhofer ISE Photovoltaics Report utility-scale inverter cost bands; specific model and AC/DC sizing are OEM-supplied and confirmed at RFQ.

2. CapEx — Indicative Module + BoS Capital Cost (carport, 1 MW_DC reference system)

All unit costs above are ILLUSTRATIVE bands for planning, NOT a quote. Final FOB and freight values must be re-priced by Tradvolt against the live OEM PO and the actual carrier of record.

3. OpEx — Indicative Annual Operating Cost (1 MW_DC carport)

4. Year-by-year cash flow (COMPUTED TABLES — verbatim)

5. Compliance & Certifications (Chile)

• IEC 61215 — design qualification for crystalline silicon PV modules (edition as published in the IEC catalogue) — required for most commercial and utility PV projects in Chile, including carport structures. Reference catalogue: https://webstore.iec.ch/ — cite full designation IEC 61215:YYYY + edition at RFQ.
• IEC 61730 — PV module safety qualification (edition as published in the IEC catalogue) — required alongside IEC 61215 for Chilean grid code compliance. Reference catalogue: https://webstore.iec.ch/ — cite full designation IEC 61730:YYYY + edition at RFQ.
• UL 61730-1 — PV Module Safety Qualification — Part 1 — required only when the buyer explicitly requests a North-American dual-listing; not mandatory for Chilean grid code compliance per se. Reference standard page: https://www.shopulstandards.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=UL61730-1.
• UL 1973 — Batteries for Use in Stationary and Motive Auxiliary Power Applications — relevant only if a BESS is added to the carport site; cite verbatim edition at RFQ. Reference standard page: https://www.shopulstandards.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productid=UL1973.
• IEC 61851-1:2017 — Electric vehicle conductive charging system — Part 1 — relevant only where EV chargers are co-deployed on the carport; cite verbatim with edition at RFQ. Reference document page: https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/33644.
• UN Manual of Tests and Criteria (ST/SG/AC.10/11/Rev.7) — UN 38.3 lithium-battery provisions — relevant only where lithium batteries are shipped alongside the modules. Reference: https://unece.org/transport/dangerous-goods/un-manual-tests-and-criteria — cite full designation ST/SG/AC.10/11/Rev.7 in text.
• ISPM 15 wood packaging — apply to any solid-wood dunnage / crating on the CN→CL lane. Reference: https://www.ippc.int/en/core-activities/standards-setting/ispms/ — cite ISPM 15 by number in text.
• Chilean electrical safety — verify against the latest Superintendencia de Electricidad y Combustibles (SEC) requirements at the time of project filing.
• Specific cert numbers, issuing body and validity dates are OEM- and lot-specific and will be supplied with the Tradvolt datasheet bundle after RFQ — not listed here.

6. Duty / HS / VAT Stack (Chile) — PENDING — lookup

Official source for duty / HS lookup: Servicio Nacional de Aduanas — Arancel Nacional. Official source for VAT lookup: Servicio de Impuestos Internos.

For comparable HS / duty lookup tools in other markets (used for cross-reference only — Chile is the binding jurisdiction for this page): EU TARIC consultation https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds2/taric/taric_consultation.jsp?Lang=en; USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule search https://hts.usitc.gov/; UK Global Tariff https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/; Japan Customs (English) https://www.customs.go.jp/english/; Australian Border Force https://www.abf.gov.au/; South African Revenue Service https://www.sars.gov.za/; Ghana Revenue Authority https://gra.gov.gh/; Uganda Revenue Authority https://www.ura.go.ug/.

No duty or VAT rate has been hardcoded on this page. All rate figures must be confirmed by the buyer's customs broker or the official Aduanas / SII portals prior to any commercial commitment.

7. Inputs the draft did not state — explicit bounded assumptions (NOT sourced facts)

• residual_value.amount: 0 USD (asset written off over the 25-yr horizon; bounding assumption).
• residual_value.year: 25 (end of horizon; bounding assumption).
• asset.pv.degradation_pct_per_year: 0.5 % per year linear from year 2 (bounding assumption, consistent with the year-on-year energy columns in the COMPUTED TABLES: 1,800,000 → 1,595,976.32 kWh over 25 yr).
• asset.pv.tariff_escalation_pct: bounded; derived from the COMPUTED TABLE revenue series (year-1 126,000 → year-25 158,198.03). Bounding assumption — illustrative.
• asset.pv.self_consumption_pct: 0 % (all exported; bounding assumption, applicable to a pure-export carport; revise for behind-the-meter sites).
• asset.pv.export_tariff_per_kwh: 0.07 USD/kWh (bounding assumption — base-case anchor for the COMPUTED TABLES; buyer PPA / self-consumption tariff supersedes).

Disclaimer: The COMPUTED TABLES are the only computed mathematics on this page. All sensitivity figures outside the COMPUTED TABLES are ILLUSTRATIVE — NOT A QUOTE and not a financial recommendation.

8. Request Quote

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FAQ

What HS code applies to 720 W solar panels imported into Chile?

Chile's customs authority (Servicio Nacional de Aduanas) maintains the national tariff schedule. The exact 8-digit national line for crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules must be confirmed at the time of shipment via the Chile Aduanas tariff portal — see Section 6.

Do 720 W solar panels require IEC or UL certification for Chilean projects?

Most utility-scale and commercial PV projects in Chile (including carport structures) require modules certified to IEC 61215 and IEC 61730, issued by an accredited certification body. UL 61730-1 is typically requested only for North-American dual-listing.

What is the typical warranty structure for a 720 W module?

Warranty terms are OEM-specific. For Trina Solar's TSM-NEG19RC.20 (Vertex N 720 W module family), the publicly published datasheet states a 25-year limited product warranty and a 30-year linear power output warranty; always verify against the datasheet revision supplied with the RFQ.

What is the computed payback range shown on this page?

From the COMPUTED TABLES the simple payback is 3.17 years and the discounted payback is 3.80 years (NPV 838,046 USD, IRR 31.95 %, LCOE 0.0336 USD/kWh at an 8.00 % discount rate over a 25-year horizon). Indicative payback bands across sensitivity scenarios are shown in the decision table in Section 1. Figures are ILLUSTRATIVE — NOT A QUOTE and not a financial recommendation.

Can Tradvolt support both FOB and CIF/DAP terms for Chile deliveries?

Yes. Buyers can specify the preferred Incoterm (ICC Incoterms 2020) in the RFQ form; EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP and DDP are supportable subject to lane and carrier availability.

Are customs duties and VAT included in the CapEx figures?

No. The CapEx table shows pre-duty, pre-VAT landed-equipment values. Chile-side duties and VAT are listed separately in Section 6 and are marked PENDING — lookup; they must be confirmed against the official Aduanas and SII portals before any commercial commitment.