Tag Archives: cost

Cost reduction remains the main route to success for Concentrating Solar Power

Concentrating Solar Power installations in the United States are forecast to set new records in 2013, with total capacity increasing by a staggering 120%, to 1889.66MW. As five new solar thermal projects, with a combined capacity of 1312 MW, approach their commissioning phase, the industry is anxious to hear how the new generation of Concentrated Solar … Continue reading Cost reduction remains the main route to success for Concentrating Solar Power

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The cost of solar power

California’s Public Utility Commission (CPUC) last month reported to the state legislature on the cost of renewables. The Padilla report, so-called because of a bill introduced by Senator Alex Padilla and passed in 2011, mandates the CPUC to publish the costs of renewable contracts and utility-owned generation every six months. The first report was published … Continue reading The cost of solar power

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Cost of Renewable Power Generation Increasing Competitive

Renewable power generation is one the most crucial ways of achieving the goal of sustainable development for all countries. Significant capacity additions are being witnessed annually. In 2012, 772.3 Gigawatts (GW) of renewable capacity was installed in 2011 across the world. Of this capacity, wind and solar PV (Photovoltaic) are the major renewable sources of … Continue reading Cost of Renewable Power Generation Increasing Competitive

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Wind Energy update: Foundation costs top list of industry focus points

As organisations across Europe use task forces to drive down the cost of offshore wind energy, Wind Energy Update [WEU] reveals the importance foundations has to the overall levelised cost of energy [LCOE]. In a recent survey conducted by WEU, five sub areas of wind power plant installation were selected for cost reduction. The sub … Continue reading Wind Energy update: Foundation costs top list of industry focus points

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Fossil Fuel Subsidies Topped $620 Billion in 2011

The energy game is rigged in favor of fossil fuels because we omit the environmental and health costs of burning coal, oil, and natural gas from their prices. Subsidies manipulate the game even further. According to conservative estimates from the Global Subsidies Initiative and the International Energy Agency (IEA), governments around the world spent more … Continue reading Fossil Fuel Subsidies Topped $620 Billion in 2011

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Novel Designs Are Taking Wind Energy to the Next Level

New technology, including better control algorithms and communications, is improving the performance of wind turbines. Superficially, wind turbines haven’t changed much for decades. But they’ve gotten much smarter, and considerably bigger, and that’s helped increase the amount of electricity they can generate and lower the cost of wind power. GE’s new 2.5-120 wind turbine, announced … Continue reading Novel Designs Are Taking Wind Energy to the Next Level

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Solar Energy To Beat Coal Prices in New Mexico

A new solar power plant opening in New Mexico will be selling electricity at record low prices. First Solar, a large thin-film solar manufacturing company based in Tempe, Ariz., recently announced that it had bought a large solar power plant that was being developed in New Mexico. When completed, the 50-megawatt Macho Springs Solar Park … Continue reading Solar Energy To Beat Coal Prices in New Mexico

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Wind energy will be cheapest electricity generating technology by 2020

Wind power will be at the centre of Europe’s power needs, meeting 50% of electricity demand by 2050, Robert Clover from MAKE Consulting said today. Moreover, “after 2020 wind is the cheapest technology, it is scaleable and it has minimal water requirements,” he added. Speaking at EWEA’s 2013 Annual Event in Vienna, Clover said onshore … Continue reading Wind energy will be cheapest electricity generating technology by 2020

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Bringing Down the Cost of Small Wind Turbines

How do we stay competitive in the global wind energy market? A key component is continued leadership in manufacturing small wind turbines – those rated at 100 kilowatts or less. Historically, the United States has been the leading manufacturer of small wind turbines – helping to boost economic growth and create job opportunities. U.S. small … Continue reading Bringing Down the Cost of Small Wind Turbines

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Onshore wind energy is already cost competitive with coal and gas, and it is much cheaper than nuclear power

The cost of energy is a topic high up on the media agenda but it is a thorny issue complicated by all the different variables and methods used to calculate the cost of energy. One commonly used method is the “levelised cost of energy” (LCOE), which is, in simple terms, the lifetime cost of an … Continue reading Onshore wind energy is already cost competitive with coal and gas, and it is much cheaper than nuclear power

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Renewable power costs continue to fall

Renewable energy has become the most cost-effective way to generate electric power for hundreds of millions of people worldwide who are not on the grid, a new IRENA policy brief reveals. Renewable energy has also become the least-cost option for extending grid supply in areas with suitable resources, such as sun and wind. The findings … Continue reading Renewable power costs continue to fall

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Wind Power’s Operating and Maintenance Costs Plunge

Operation and maintenance costs for the wind energy sector fell 38 percent from 2008 to 2011, Bloomberg New Energy Finance reports. If this keeps up, the wind power industry might not need the embattled production tax credit for very much longer. Which, come to think of it, is the stated point of the subsidy: to provide support for the … Continue reading Wind Power’s Operating and Maintenance Costs Plunge

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Wind power operation and maintenance costs plummet

Average prices for operation and maintenance contracts in the wind sector have dropped 38% in the last four years, boosting the sector’s competitiveness significantly London and New York, 1 November 2012 – The wind energy sector is making significant improvements not just in the capital cost and performance of its turbines, but also in the … Continue reading Wind power operation and maintenance costs plummet

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Onshore wind energy O&M costs dropping, Bloomberg shows

A recent announcement by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) that says the costs of onshore wind farm operations and maintenance (O&M) continue to fall rapidly is further proof that the electricity-generating technology is both affordable and dependable. The wind energy sector is making significant improvements not just in the capital cost and performance of its … Continue reading Onshore wind energy O&M costs dropping, Bloomberg shows

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Wind energy operation and maintenance costs plummet

The wind energy sector is making significant improvements not just in the capital cost and performance of its wind turbines, but also in the ongoing cost of operating and maintaining (O&M) them once installed. This is the message from the inaugural issue of the Bloomberg New Energy Finance Wind Operations and Maintenance Price Index, just … Continue reading Wind energy operation and maintenance costs plummet

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Each MWh of wind energy provides a higher contribution to GDP in most European countries than other generation technologies

Ernst & Young conducted a study that presents an integrated analysis of the value creation potential of wind power. The study was commissioned by Acciona and EDP Renováveis and compares two energy technologies, Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGT) and wind, to analyze the impacts of microeconomic factors such as direct costs as well as macroeconomic … Continue reading Each MWh of wind energy provides a higher contribution to GDP in most European countries than other generation technologies

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Wind Energy Industry: Wind Turbines Power Down Energy Prices

“When the wind turbine is built and is available, it runs. And when it runs, that generally means that natural gas-fired or coal-fired plants do not run, so it puts downward pressure on prices.” Home and business energy costs have been falling in the Midwest, and the wind industry is claiming partial credit. Bob Fagen … Continue reading Wind Energy Industry: Wind Turbines Power Down Energy Prices

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Wind energy and solar is actually cheaper than energy from coal and nuclear power plants

Taking into account health and environmental damage, wind and solar power from new plants in Europe is actually cheaper than energy from coal and nuclear power plants, according to a new report. Many people find it difficult to calculate the true cost of their electricity. Special duties, taxes and subsidies all add up to influence … Continue reading Wind energy and solar is actually cheaper than energy from coal and nuclear power plants

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