If you re not familiar with the concept of npv the video below explains it in more detail.
Npv solar panels.
Discussion a positive npv suggests that the solar pv system would be a good investment while a negative npv suggests that the pv system would be a poor investment.
Npv does account for the time value of money.
Npv is how much return the solar plant will make accounting for the time value of money.
Commentary let s talk about net present value and solar panels without understanding it you ll never know if installing solar panels or buying a stock is a good deal or not.
Using a solar npv formula rec solar can show you how the 25 to 30 year lifetime cash flow of a solar project compares in today s dollars factoring in for inflation interest and other lost opportunity costs.
Net present value is the cost of the solar pv system minus what it s worth to you.
Sure enough after some digging i found the prerulemaking document for the new solar rule which indeed makes clear that what they re talking about are present value energy cost savings over the 30 year period of analysis.
In solar this initial investment is the system cost and future cash flows are the resulting.
Hence npv accounts for the future value of the investment made into an installation project.
Factors such as opportunity cost inflation and risk are all accounted for in npv to give the overall value of the project in today s time.