NEW ENERGY BECOMING PRICE COMPETITIVE

Solar, wind cost-competitive for peak energy, study finds; Consultant questions subsidies for residential solar when costs are dropping

Sept. 29, 2014 (Canadian Broadcasting Company News)

“Solar and wind power are increasingly cost-competitive with conventional forms of electrical power, including coal and nuclear, even without subsidies…The cost for utilities to generate energy from photovoltaic technologies has fallen by nearly 20 per cent in the past year, and nearly 80 per cent in the last five years…China's entry into the solar panel business has helped push down the cost of solar technologies…As a source of peak energy — that is, power at times when there is the greatest demand on the electrical grid — photovoltaics are more flexible and cost-competitive than conventional technologies, [according to Lazard’s Levelized Cost Of Energy Analysis 8.0…

“…[L]and-based wind power has dropped in price — as much as 60 per cent in the last five years, though off-shore power remains expensive…Without subsidies residential-scale solar photovoltaic solar panels remain considerably more expensive than utility-scale solar…[and] large-scale conventional generation projects continue to face a number of challenges, including high upfront capital costs, especially for nuclear…[though it] is still more manageable and cost-competitive for base-load generation…[Natural gas generation] will be a transition source, between coal or nuclear and renewables, as gas prices are low…” click here for more

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