Comments on: World’s largest solar PV plant? http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/10/30/worlds-largest-solar-pv-plant/ Trends, happenings and innovations in the clean technology market Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:42:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/10/30/worlds-largest-solar-pv-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-717 Anonymous Thu, 02 Nov 2006 02:38:52 +0000 http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/10/30/worlds-largest-solar-pv-plant/#comment-717 I've run some numbers on this plant. I don't know what the cost of gas is in Canada, but the levelized cost of electricity is nowhere near NGCC for Australian conditions. The company is making all sorts of announcements about bringing the cost of electricity down to $40 /MWh, but I'll believe it when I see it. Based on the capital costs and assumed operating costs I can't see them generating for less than $200 /MWh at present. Not to say that they won't be able to bring that cost down via learning-by-doing, but they've got a long way to go. Meanwhile. solar thermal concentrators are generating close to $100 /MWh right now. Same resource, different technology, lower cost. Weird, huh? I’ve run some numbers on this plant. I don’t know what the cost of gas is in Canada, but the levelized cost of electricity is nowhere near NGCC for Australian conditions.

The company is making all sorts of announcements about bringing the cost of electricity down to $40 /MWh, but I’ll believe it when I see it. Based on the capital costs and assumed operating costs I can’t see them generating for less than $200 /MWh at present.

Not to say that they won’t be able to bring that cost down via learning-by-doing, but they’ve got a long way to go.

Meanwhile. solar thermal concentrators are generating close to $100 /MWh right now. Same resource, different technology, lower cost. Weird, huh?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/10/30/worlds-largest-solar-pv-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-716 Anonymous Wed, 01 Nov 2006 17:36:46 +0000 http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2006/10/30/worlds-largest-solar-pv-plant/#comment-716 While the costs of the large PV installations are encouraging, you also have to look at the other side of the equation when comparing them to the gas turbine generating plant. That is - what is the price you can obtain for the power sold by the plant? A peaking plant is designed to run when demand - and usually price - are highest. Peaking plants are usually not the cheapest to operate, so they are not used for baseload power. But, the peaking plant will generate power quickly that can be sold at a much higher price (or conversely at a lower cost compared to purchasing it on the market). An economic comparison of the alternatives has to include comparing both the production costs and the price (or savings) obtained <strong>when </strong>the electricity is produced. While the costs of the large PV installations are encouraging, you also have to look at the other side of the equation when comparing them to the gas turbine generating plant.

That is – what is the price you can obtain for the power sold by the plant?

A peaking plant is designed to run when demand – and usually price – are highest. Peaking plants are usually not the cheapest to operate, so they are not used for baseload power.

But, the peaking plant will generate power quickly that can be sold at a much higher price (or conversely at a lower cost compared to purchasing it on the market).

An economic comparison of the alternatives has to include comparing both the production costs and the price (or savings) obtained when the electricity is produced.

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