The cost of converting silicon to modules for Sliver and any...

The cost of converting silicon to modules for Sliver and any other PV tech is important. But.

Levelised Cost of Energy (ECOE) is probably the main determinant of utility scale (typically 1MW+) installations which are usually unconstrained by efficiency as they are situated on relatively cheap undeveloped ground.

Commercial (5kW to 1MW) and domestic (1kW to 5kW) are more constrained by space as the go on roofs more often so that efficiency if more important and a premium is paid for this. Architectural installations price partly as statements of corporate intent and are at least partly advertising, so LCOE and efficiency are less critical again.

The tolerable cost of converting silicon to wafer cells or to Sliver cells is not absolute; it depends on comparative costs of other techs given silicon input/labour/shipping/siting/interest rates/etc etc.

Your question should be, can Sliver cells be cost effective against alternatives for purpose and site. Part of that depends on how much automation can drive down wafer to cell and assembly costs. Sliver cells are at the start of a learning period, wafer cells are nearly a mature technology with little scope for improvement remaining. Moduling costs will reduce for all PV techs.

Question for Solarfeen. If the spot price for modules is $1.50/Watt, what is an appropriate markup to get from an FOB module in Shanghai to a functioning 5kW system on a suburban roof in Australia? The current installed cost is about $5/Watt which seems an enormous margin for a truck and a bit of framing and some wires.