The cost of generating electricity

[Naty1]

I stumbled across what I thought an interesting comparison of the costs to generate electricity from the US Department of energy...includes transmission costs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relative_cost_of_electricity_generated_by_different_sources

Its shows the total cost per megawatt hour: the highest cost sources:

"solar thermal" $312 what this is ?? heat or equivalent electricity?
wind offshore: $243
solar PV $211 solar photovoltaic cells

while gas seems to offer the lowest cost at from $66 to $125.

I am surprised that "advanced nuclear" at $114 is so competitive.

It sure points out the heavy subsidies (taxpayer money) required for solar.

Are subsidies available for offshore power?? Seems tough for it to compete otherwise!

 

[skeptic2]

I thought coal was supposed to be the cheapest.
What about the cost of hydro?

 

[jim hardy]

"""solar thermal" $312 what this is ?? heat or equivalent electricity?""

that should be the cost of the electricity made by focusing sun to boil water.
http://www.fpl.com/environment/solar/projects.shtml?id=alias

hydro - my only experience is secondhand.
in 1960's my father-in-law's plant in Niagara Falls bought hydro for 2 mils/kwh,
or $2 per megawatt hour. seems incredible, today.

old jim

 

[Naty1]

Hydro is included in the DOE chart...
I just posted a couple of high and low cost categories.