OREANDA-NEWS. RnR Market Research Offers Report by Research on Electricity Costs and Economics: 2015 to 2025.

Electricity Costs and Economics: 2015 to 2025 - Electricity is the most important energy source in the modern age but also the most ephemeral, a source that must be consumed as fast as it is produced. This makes modeling the economics of electricity production more complex than carrying out the same exercise for other products. Accurate modeling is important because it forms the basis for future investment decisions. In the electricity sector two fundamental yardsticks are used for cost comparison, capital cost and the levelized cost of electricity. The latter is a lifecycle cost analysis of a power plant that uses assumptions about the future value of money to convert all future costs and revenues into current prices. This model is widely used in the power industry but has some significant failings, particularly in its ability to handle risk. Even so these two measures, together, are the first consulted when power sector investment and planning decisions are to be made.

Production of electricity has always involved an element of risk but this has been extended, and in some cases magnified by the introduction of liberalized electricity markets. One big source of risk is fuel price risk. If an investment is made today based on a predicted cost of natural gas that turns out to be wildly in error because prices soar, as has happened during the past decade, then that investment will be in danger of failing to be economical to operate. Therefore some measure of the risk of fuel price volatility should be included in any economic model. Other risks arise where large capital investment is required in untested technology. Meanwhile the liberalized market has introduced new types of risk more often associated with financial markets.

The power sector still remains an attractive area for investment but investors are now more cautious than previously. Global warming continues to be a dominant theme but alongside that there is a new pragmatism about fossil fuel combustion which will continue to dominate the power sector for another generation at least. Meanwhile renewable sources of generation continue to advance, led principally by wind power but with solar capacity growing rapidly too, though from a small base.

Key features of this report

    Analysis of power generation costs concepts, drivers and components.
    Assessment of electricity costs for different technologies in terms of the two fundamental yardsticks used for cost comparison, capital cost and the levelized cost of electricity.
    Insight relating to the most innovative technologies and potential areas of opportunity for manufacturers.
    Examination of the key power generation technologies costs.
    Identification of the key trends shaping the market, as well as an evaluation of emerging trends that will drive innovation moving forward.


Key benefits from reading this report

    Realize up to date competitive intelligence through a comprehensive power cost analysis in electricity power generation markets.
    Assess power generation costs and analysis – including capital costs, overnight costs, levelized costs and risk analysis.
    Identify which key trends will offer the greatest growth potential and learn which technology trends are likely to allow greater market impact.
    Compare how carbon costs will effect the industry in direct comparisons or renewable and conventional technologies using financial and life cycle analysis.
    Quantify structural costs of grid extension, the effect of drivers, legislation and tariffs, installation costs, and the cost of electricity.


Key findings of this report

    Onshore wind power is potentially the cheapest of all the renewable technologies and it can be built for as little as $1,850/kW.
    South Korean coal-fired power plants were estimated to cost $1,218/kW while in China the cost was even lower at $813/kW.
    Adding CCS to a combined cycle power plant would raise the cost of electricity from the plant to $100.2/MWh.
    A PC plant with CCS, meanwhile would provide electricity for £107/MWh.
    In China the cost of wind power is notably higher than in the USA at $46/MWh, $60/MWh and $72/MWh at the three discount rates and in Germany it is much higher ($77/MWh - $108/MWh).