Windmills won gas and coal in the struggle for cost kWh

BAD NEWS FOR RAW COLONIES
The industry of renewable energy in the U.S. in 2014 have made a revolution: the cost of electricity generated from renewable sources is, in some cases, was lower than obtained on a conventional gas and coal-fired power plants. And that's without state support.

As stated in the report of the investment company Lazard over the past five years in the United States normalized cost of electricity (LCOE) produced in the wind Park have declined by 58%. The price of solar electricity has fallen even more – by 78%. Currently, the average cost of 1 MWh produced by SES, is $ 56 (5.6 cents per kWh), wind – $ 14. It's a given government subsidies. Without them, the cost of solar electricity comes to 72 dollars per MWh, a wind – up to $ 37. The price of electricity generated with gas and coal stations, in the last five years practically has not changed and is $ 61 and $ 66 per MWh, respectively. That is, even without subsidies, the same wind power was almost twice as cheaper than traditional.

For reference

The normalized cost of electricity (LCOE, Levelized Cost of Electricity) estimated cost of electricity production during the whole life cycle of the generating facility. It includes consideration of the different aspects – initial investment, cost of operation and maintenance of plant, the price of fuel and the cost of capital and is used to compare production costs from different sources. To reduce the cost of electricity generated by renewable energy sources, managed through cheaper technologies and new approaches to financing and operation of facilities. Its role in increasing the prevalence of renewable and, therefore, lower energy prices due to economies of scale, subsidies have played. In the United States in recent years has been extremely beneficial tax credit for generation based on renewable energy. The fate of this particular form of subsidies today is vigorously discussed between the sector companies and the Federal authorities.

Also in the United States has already signed major contracts to supply "green" energy at extremely low prices. As reported by the New York Times, Texas-based Austin Energy this spring, signed a 20-year contract for the supply of solar electricity with the price less than 5 cents per kWh Power Oklahoma approved an agreement to purchase electric power new wind farm, which will allow buyers to save about 50 million dollars compared to purchasing energy from conventional sources. There, in Oklahoma, the largest U.S. power company American Electric Power tripled the amount of purchasing energy from wind farms due to low prices prevailing in recent years. And this despite the fact that Oklahoma, unlike many other States, does not require companies selling electricity to consumers, have a share of "green" energy in their supply – that is, the AEP decision was dictated solely by economic logic.

Depreciates not only the "big" renewable electricity. For example, the so-called solar energy on roofs (Rooftop solar PV – photovoltaic panels of small capacity placed by private consumers on the roofs of buildings) have already reached grid parity in 10 States out of 50, and the rest, according to analysts Deutsche Bank, gets to this figure the maximum in 2016. It is not surprising that in 2013 alone, the Americans mounted on their roofs 1 GW of solar panels, and by 2016 the total capacity will grow six times.
 

 

For reference

Network parity, a term used in renewable energy, which means that the cost of "green" electricity equal to the price of traditional energy. Renewable energy competes with traditional in many countries, experts say. The United States was among the first countries where solar has reached grid parity. In the same list, South Africa, Italy. This phenomenon is due to the huge amount of solar generation in these countries, which affects the reduction of costs for production of equipment and construction of the objects themselves.

In the United States to date, introduced more than 4 GW of solar power plants, and the cost of 1 kWh in terms of rubles is about 2.6 rubles. In South Africa, the figure is 4.5 RUB/kWh "Network parity, according to Deutsche Bank estimates, also made in India, and in 2015-2016 is expected to be achieved in most areas of China, which, by the way, just before the end of 2014 plans to put into operation 14 GW of new solar generation," added Mr. Usachev. Wind farms on land reach grid parity within a few years, and offshore wind in 2020-ies, predicts CTO of Siemens Wind Power Henrik Stiesdal.

At the same time, experts warn that low prices for renewable does not mean that wind and solar power will soon completely replace the traditional. Gas and coal facilities are needed for reliability as only they are able to respond flexibly to the needs of power system, gaining the load on demand.published

Source: uzoranet.livejournal.com/2111268.html