Techno-economic viability of self-sustainable thermophotovoltaic systems for grid-scale energy generation

To facilitate the widespread adoption of renewable energy, dispatchable, zero-emission power sources are essential for grid stability. This work performs a comprehensive techno-economic analysis of a self-sustainable thermophotovoltaic (TPV) system, designed as a standalone power generation asset to function independently from the electrical grid. Our analysis, which incorporates key operational parameters including thermal battery volume, heat loss, and device degradation, reveals a clear pathway to economic viability at the grid scale. The results indicate that for large storage capacities (exceeding 250 GWh) and high emitter temperatures (above 1500 °C), the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of the system can be reduced to as low as $0.2/kWh. This competitive LCOE is stably maintained when the system lifetime is longer than 15 years and heat loss is kept below 50 %. Under these large-scale conditions, a TPV system using Si cells with 50-μm thin wafers for enhanced photon utilization can also achieve a comparable LCOE, despite having a lower conversion efficiency relative to its InGaAs counterpart. This presents a practical engineering pathway for leveraging the immense manufacturing scalability of Si, offering a lower-risk route to deployment compared to III-V materials. Ultimately, this work positions the self-sustainable TPV architecture as a compelling pathway toward providing grid-scale, on-demand, and zero-emission power.