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posted by
martyb
on Sunday May 24 2015, @08:12PM
from the price-of-sunlight-and-wind-is-pretty-constant dept.
from the price-of-sunlight-and-wind-is-pretty-constant dept.
Over the last 5 years, the price of new wind power in the US has dropped 58% and the price of new solar power has dropped 78%. Utility-scale solar in the West and Southwest is now at times cheaper than new natural gas plants. Even after removing the federal solar Investment Tax Credit of 30%, a recent New Mexico solar deal is priced at 6 cents / kwh. By contrast, new natural gas electricity plants have costs between 6.4 to 9 cents per kwh, according to the EIA.
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Renewables are Disruptive to Coal and Gas
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You'll wish that you had done some of the hard things when they were easier
to do.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 24 2015, @10:50PM
> Solar only gives you power at daytime. For nighttime you need other sources, like gas.
RTFA.
Energy storage is also reaching disruptive prices at utility scale [rameznaam.com]. The Tesla battery is cheap enough to replace natural gas ‘peaker’ plants [rameznaam.com]. And much cheaper energy storage is on the way [rameznaam.com].
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Monday May 25 2015, @12:30AM
I re-read it. Sure if they can beat the price point. Finites as fuel will decline. An interesting technology change that will drive economics!
Seems this technology has changed quickly.
Then it's th question if the environmental cost is workable. And if there's enough raw material to supply the demand.
(Score: 2) by davester666 on Monday May 25 2015, @08:55AM
Tesla batteries are nowhere near "utility scale". They aren't even shipping yet. And yes, other things in the future will be cheaper and better.