As prices for PV modules and inverters decline, attention from developers and EPCs will increasingly be placed on a project's balance-of-system (BOS) costs. Historically, innovation in the BOS space has been somewhat limited, given its smaller share of the total system. However, BOS costs will represent more than half of total project costs by 2012, and many BOS players are beginning to integrate their offerings into full-service component packages and positioning for greater share in the market via meaningful economic gains.

Analysts forecast BOS costs to decline roughly 29 cents/watt (US$) from 2010 to 2013, and this report presents detailed BOS cost roadmaps by technology (c-Si, thin film) and mounting type for structures, foundations, labor, civil works, cables, engineering and inverters.

In addition, this report features installation forecasts and market sizing for fixed and mounting structures by country and explores the current trends pursued by the key players in the BOS market, providing notes on more than 50 companies active in the BOS space.

Value-added Elements:

• Detailed balance-of-system cost roadmaps by technology (c-Si and thin film) and price forecasts through 2015
• Market sizing for fixed ground-mounted structures, tracking structures, roof-mounted structures, foundations, combiner boxes, cables and conduits
• Demand by country and region (Germany, Italy, Rest of Europe, United States, Japan, China and Rest of World) by mounting structure type (ground-mounted fixed, tracking and rooftop-mounted)
• Analysis of PV project labor and civil engineering costs
• More than 50 company notes on BOS players leading the market

Questions for Competitive Decision-making:

• Which BOS markets will see the greatest opportunities for component cost reduction?
• What business models are BOS players pursuing to gain greater market share globally?
• How is regional demand influencing the type of mounting structures deployed through 2015?
• What are the hidden costs of BOS, including EPC margins, land, labor, security, grounds and medium voltage?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION AND MARKET CONTEXT
1.1 Key Findings
1.2 Report Scope

2 MOUNTING STRUCTURES
2.1 Fixed Ground-Mount Systems
2.1.1 Technology
2.1.2 Pricing
2.1.3 Suppliers
2.1.4 Innovations
2.1.5 Market Size
2.2 Tracking Systems
2.2.1 Technology
2.2.2 Pricing
2.2.3 Suppliers
2.2.4 Innovations
2.2.5 Market Size
2.3 Fixed vs. Tracking: Comparative Metrics
2.4 Roof-Mounted Systems
2.4.1 Technology
2.4.2 Pricing
2.4.3 Suppliers
2.4.4 Innovations
2.4.5 Market Size
2.5 Foundations
2.5.1 Technology
2.5.2 Pricing
2.5.3 Suppliers
2.5.4 Innovations
2.5.5 Market Size
2.6 Mounting Structure Market by Geography
2.6.1 Europe
2.6.2 North America
2.6.3 Asia
2.6.4 Global

3 COMBINER BOXES
3.1 Technology
3.2 Pricing
3.3 Suppliers
3.4 Innovations
3.5 Market Size

4 CABLES AND CONDUITS
4.1 Technology
4.2 Pricing
4.3 Suppliers
4.4 Innovations
4.5 Market Size

5 CIVIL ENGINEERING
5.1 Technology
5.2 Pricing
5.3 Innovations

6 LABOR
6.1 Pricing
6.1.1 Locational Price Drivers
6.2 Innovations

7 OTHER BOS COSTS

8 BOS COST FORECAST, 2010-2014
8.1 Ground Mount
8.2 Rooftop

9 CONCLUSIONS

10 COMPANY NOTES
A+F GmbH
ABB
Amtec
Array Technologies
AZTEC Engineering
Bechtel
Belectric
Bentek
Black & Veatch
Blue Oak PV Products
Conergy
Cooper B-Line
Degerenergie
DPW Solar
ERCAM
ExoSun
First Solar
Flour
Gestamp Solar
HatiCon
Krinner
Marelco
Martifer
Meca Solar
MidNite Solar
Mounting Systems GmbH
National Semiconductor
Panel Claw
Phoenix Solar
Panel Claw
PV Trackers
Quanta Renewables
Ray Tracker
SAPA Extrusion
Satcon
Schletter
Shoals
SMA
Solar BOS
SolarEdge
Solea AG
Solon
Sunlink
SunPower
Swinerton, Inc.
Tigo
Titan Tracker
Tyco (TE Connectivity)
Unirac
White Construction
Zep Solar

LIST OF FIGURES

1 INTRODUCTION AND MARKET CONTEXT
• Global Blended Average System Cost
Breakdown, 2008 vs. 2011
• PV BOS Player Taxonomy

2 MOUNTING STRUCTURES
• Fixed Tilt Mounting Structure
• Fixed Mount Design
• Commodity Pricing for Aluminum and Steel
• Fixed Tilt Mounting Structure Cost vs. Module Conversion Efficiency
• Fixed Mounting Structure Cost Forecast, 2010-2013
• Impact of Seasonal Adjustable Tilting on System Production
• Carbon Fiber Weave Patterns
• Comparison of Core Materials
• Global Fixed Tilt Mounting Structure Market Forecast, 2010-2015
• Global Fixed Tilt Mounting Structure Market Size, 2010-2015
• Comparison of Tracking Motor Types
• Horizontal One-Axis Tracker
• Tilted One-Axis Tracker
• Dual Axis Tracker
• Tracker Cost Breakdown
• Tracker O&M Cost Estimates
• Impact of Commodity Steel Cost on Tracker Costs
• Impact of Module Efficiency on Tracker Costs
• Tracker Supplier Breakdown by Region
• Installed Tracker Capacity from Leading U.S. Suppliers (As of Year-End 2010)
• Installed Tracker Capacity from Leading European Suppliers (As of Year-End 2010)
• Leading Tracker Supplier Breakdown
• Leading Tracker Supplier Product Breakdown
• SunPower Oasis BOS Cost Savings
• RayTracker GC System Elements
• Array Technologies DuraTrack HZ Layout
• Global One-Axis Tracker Market Forecast, 2010-2015
• Global One-Axis Tracker Market Size, 2010-2015
• Land Requirements by Mounting Structure Type and Module Conversion Efficiency
• Energy Production Comparison, Fixed vs. Tracking
• Relationship Between Module Cost and System Cost, Fixed vs. Tracking
• Comparison of Fixed and Tracking Systems
• Assumptions to Determine Revenue Impacts of Fixed vs. Tracking Systems
• Monthly Production and Revenue Estimates, Fixed vs. Tracking Systems
• Impact of TOD Factor on Tracking System Benefits
• Energy Harvest, Fixed vs. One-Axis Tracking
• Design Options for Rooftop Systems
• Rooftop System Installation
• Rooftop System Design
• Commercial Rooftop System
• Comparison of Ballasted and Penetrating Systems
• Rooftop Mounting Structure Cost, 2010-2013
• Rooftop Mounting Structure Supplier Breakdown
• Global Residential Rooftop Market Forecast, 2010-2015
• Global Commercial Rooftop Market Forecast, 2010-2015
• Global Rooftop Market Breakdown, 2010-2015
• Global Rooftop Market Size ($), 2010-2015
• Foundation Type Selection Criteria
• Mounting Structure Foundation Cost Forecast, 2010-2013
• Ballasted System Design
• Automated Foundation Installation Utilizing GPS Technology
• Mounting Structure Foundations Market Size, 2010-2015
• German Installations by Market Segment, 2010
• Monthly PV Installations in Germany, 2009-2010
• Germany FIT Rates
• PV Demand in Germany by Mounting Type, 2009-2015
• Italian Installations by Mounting Structure Type, 2009-2015
• Rest of Europe Installations by Mounting Structure Type, 2009-2015
• U.S. PV Installations by Market Segment, 2005-2010
• U.S. PV Demand Forecast by Market Segment 2010-2015
• Ontario Feed-in Tariff Program Summary
• Japanese Installations by Mounting Structure Type, 2010-2015
• China Installations by Mounting Structure Type, 2010-2015
• Global Installations by Mounting Type, 2010-2015
• Combiner Box Market Size, 2010-2013

3 COMBINER BOXES
• PV Combiner Box
• String-level Maximum Power Point Tracking on Shaded and Soiled Array
• DC/DC Combiner Box Impact
• Combiner Box Cost Forecast, 2010-2013
• Combiner Box Suppliers


4 CABLES AND CONDUITS
• Commodity Prices of Copper and Aluminum
• Cabling Requirements and Costs, 10 MW Project with 600 VDC
• Cable Cost Forecast, 2010-2013
• Major PV Cable Suppliers
• Combiner Box Cost by Cabling Voltage
• PV Cable Market Size, 2010-2015

5 CIVIL ENGINEERING
• Impact of Module Conversion Efficiency on Land
and Civil Engineering Costs
• Civil Engineering Cost Breakdown, 2010-2013

6 LABOR
• Labor Cost, 5 kW Residential System, 2010-2013
• Labor Cost, 100 kW Commercial System, 2010-2013
• Average Labor Costs in the U.S., 2010-2013
• Labor Cost Savings Opportunities
• Wages by Installation Requirement
• Wage Forecast, 2010-2013
• Man-Hour Requirements by Task, 2010-2013
• Man-Hour Requirements, Modules, Inverters andMisc., 2010-2013
• Labor Cost Forecast, 10 MW Fixed Tilt System,2010-2013
• Labor Costs by Country, 1996-2008
• Impact of Module Conversion Efficiency on Labor Requirements
• Impact of Module form Factor on Field Labor Cost, 10 MW Fixed Tilt System

7 OTHER BOS COSTS
• SCADA System
• Miscellaneous BOS Cost Forecast, 2010-2013
• Miscellaneous BOS Cost Breakdown, 2010-2013

8 BOS COST FORECAST, 2010-2014
• BOS Cost Comparison, c-Si vs. CdTe
• BOS Cost Buildup, c-Si vs. CdTe, 10 MW Fixed Tilt System in the U.S.
• BOS Cost Roadmap, 10 MW Fixed Tilt blended c-Si Project in the U.S., 2010-2013
• Detailed Cost Roadmap, 10 MW Fixed Tilt Blended c-Si Project in the U.S., 2010-2013
• BOS Cost Roadmap (Accelerated Case), 10 MW Fixed Tilt c-Si Project in the U.S., 2010-2013
• BOS Cost Roadmap, 10 MW Fixed Tilt Thin Film project in the U.S., 2010-2013
• BOS Cost Comparison, 10 MW c-Si v., Thin Film
• First Solar BOS Cost Reduction Roadmap
• BOS Cost Comparison by Region, 10 MW Fixed Tilt c-Si System, 2010-2013
• BOS Cost Roadmap, 10 MW c-Si 1-Axis Tracking System in the U.S., 2010-2013
• BOS Cost Roadmap, 100 kW Commercial Rooftop System in the U.S., 2010-2013
• BOS Cost Roadmap, 5 kW Residential Rooftop System in the U.S., 2010-2013
• Total System Cost Roadmap for a 10 MW Fixed Tilt System in the U.S., 2010-2013

9 CONCLUSIONS
• BOS Cost Delta per 100 BPS of Module
Conversion Efficiency