Calling Armchair Solar Experts

[chuckChuck]

You can take any of the LCOE numbers per Mwh and divide by 1000 and you will get the price in kwh.

Oneoff please check my math!! LOL

That makes the cost of generating solar pv at .0847 (8.47 cents) per kwh and coal with CCS at .1395 (13.95 cents) per kwh.

This is for new projects coming on stream in 2022 in the USA and will be an average. Individual projects will have their own numbers and circumstances.

Interestingly wind is .0645 per kwh.

And we still need natural gas, coal, hydro for base load. I am not forgetting this. But depending on winds ability to fill the daytime demand it makes sense to see why Saskpower is making a big commitment to wind.

[jcv]

In looking at the link you list there is alot of assumptions. Most notably the tax credits to the wind and solar pv which are listed at the bottom of the table.

"Changes in cost from 2022 to 2040 reflect a number of different factors, sometimes working in different
directions. Technology improvement tends to reduce LCOE through lower capital costs or improved
performance (as measured by heat rate for fossil-fired plants or capacity factor for renewable plants).
For fossil-fired plants, changing fuel prices also factor into the change in LCOE. For renewable resources
such as wind, hydro, or geothermal, the availability of high quality resources may also be a factor. As
the best, least-cost resources are exploited, development will be forced into less favorable areas,
potentially resulting in higher development costs, higher costs to access transmission, or access to
lower-performing resources. Changes in the value of generation are a function of load growth.
However, renewables such as wind and solar that may show strong daily or seasonal generation
patterns may see significant reductions in the value of their generation as these specific generation "

There is a lot more in this paper than the figures you listed.

[burnt]

In looking at the link you list there is alot of assumptions. Most notably the tax credits to the wind and solar pv which are listed at the bottom of the table.

"Changes in cost from 2022 to 2040 reflect a number of different factors, sometimes working in different
directions. Technology improvement tends to reduce LCOE through lower capital costs or improved
performance (as measured by heat rate for fossil-fired plants or capacity factor for renewable plants).
For fossil-fired plants, changing fuel prices also factor into the change in LCOE. For renewable resources
such as wind, hydro, or geothermal, the availability of high quality resources may also be a factor. As
the best, least-cost resources are exploited, development will be forced into less favorable areas,
potentially resulting in higher development costs, higher costs to access transmission, or access to
lower-performing resources. Changes in the value of generation are a function of load growth.
However, renewables such as wind and solar that may show strong daily or seasonal generation
patterns may see significant reductions in the value of their generation as these specific generation "

There is a lot more in this paper than the figures you listed.

WHAT? Are you suggesting that transparent and "levelized costs" only apply to the fossil fuel sources of energy?

Ahahaha!! Whodda thought?

[chuckChuck]

JCV you are right there is a lot more to LCOE analysis. It is only a tool to compare costs and this LCOE is averaged over the USA and is only for new and not existing.

Each project in each province or state will have its own unique numbers so LCOE is only a guideline on new.

What we really need is actual costs from existing and added capacity that Saskpower has or is proposing. Including Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)

I am sure there are several experts or a full department at Saskpower whose job it is too figure this all out.

It is an interesting way to pass the long winter with some discussion on this topic, but realistically we are all amateurs at this working without much knowledge or experience.

I am interested in grid tied solar systems for Saskatchewan so this helps some to understand the pros and the cons.

[oneoff]

Don't sell yourself or anyone short. I've never known any professor or person entitled to put some extra alphabetic characters behind their names that didn't pull on their pants one leg at a time.