Tuesday, May 07, 2013

The Cost Of Solar Power

A nice chart, from here:

The graph above compares the price history of solar energy to conventional energy sources. This is what a disruptive technology looks like. While conventional energy prices remained pretty flat in inflation adjusted terms, the cost of solar is dropping,fast, and is likely to continue doing so as technology and manufacturing processes improve.

That is all.

7 comments:

Tom said...

If I was to produce a graph showing how much I am paying for power in Ontario, I'm sure it would be the reverse of the graph you have provided. How come, if the cost of solar power is dropping so fast, my power bill continues to rise to pay for Ontario's solar power plan?

bigcitylib said...

If Ontario's solar power plan were gone tomorrow your bill would still be skyrocketing. Ontarians are paying for sins against our power grid that were committed years ago.

Paul Kuster said...

Back to 2009 with the implimentation of the GEA. To build 150%- 175% of capacity to get 100% generation to meet daily demands has a lot to do with it. Paying other jurisdictions to take our excess generation derived from gas plants and unreliables to the tune of a cancelled plant per year,has a lot to do with it. Thinking you can move gas plants around like chess pieces has a lot to do with rising hydro costs.
Solar is such a small insignificant player here, it's laughable, but go ahead BCL, put a solar array on your roof, just don't expect me to pay you extra for it as I wouldn't expect you to pay extra for any generation I personally create.

Maria said...

I was searching for the same and just came to your post. It was quite useful and informative. Keep sharing good content.
______________
Solar Rooftop Lease Ontario

Marlowe Johnson said...

main reason your bill is going up? chronic lack of investment in transmission infrastructure + payout to Bruce Nuclear (i.e. the lion's share of the 'global adjustment).

Right now FIT contracts account for very, very little of the rate increases.

oh and the nice thing about gas is that it is dispatchable in a way that coal and nuclear are not. when we "pay" others to take our power it's usually because of the inflexibility of those two generation types not renewables or hydro. skill testing question. how much of your annual bill is from having to pay others to take our excess power?

Paul Kuster said...

What was the pay-out to Bruce Nuclear?
The inflexibility you speak of is in unreliables, especially wind. Nuclear is even more flexible as it's able to steam off and the fuel bundles are moved in and out of the reactor as requested. Hydro is the most flexible as is coal and CCGT.
Check the IESO site. Renewables are the reason for the excess and the market price shows the direct relationship.
Perhaps Marlowe you could share with the class how much is on our annual bill (% will do) and how much was thrown ( hidden) onto the deficit.

Maria said...

I really like what you are up too. It was an amazing sort of clever work and exposure! Keep up the amazing works.
___________
Solar Power Ontario