Since the 1970s solar panels have improved unit costs (capital costs per watt) by a factor of one thousand (1,000) relative to the unit costs (capital costs per watt) of a new nuclear power plant. Is solar disruptive?

1. Is Solar
Disruptive?
“When the Paris Exhibition closes electric light will close with it and
no more be heard of.”
- Erasmus Wilson (1878), Oxford University
Copyright © 2010-2013 by Tony Seba
Tony Seba
tonyseba.com

2. Solar PV Cost: DOWN 100X
Graph Source: BNEF – Economics of PV Power
$65/W
¢65/W
Down 100x
Copyright © 2010-2013 by Tony Seba

3. Nuclear has a
negative
learning curve:
the more they
build the more
unit costs have
gone up!
Nuclear unit costs: UP 10X
Graph Source: Environment America
UP 10X
Copyright © 2010-2013 by Tony Seba
Graph Source: Environment America – Generating Failure

4. Solar PV has
improved its
unit costs by
~ 1,000X
relative to
Nuclear!
Is Solar Disruptive?
Copyright © 2010-2013 by Tony Seba Image Copyright © 2011 by Tony Seba

5. • 2009: “Historic Crossover” of Nuclear & Solar generation costs.
• Solar costs keep dropping and nuclear costs increasing…
• This doesn’t include the massive (taxpayer)
costs of insuring nuclear.
Solar Already Cheaper than New Nuclear
SOLAR
NUCLEAR
Copyright ©2008-2013 by Tony Seba

6. “Facts do not cease to exist
because they are ignored.”
- Aldous Huxley

7. Copyright ©2008-2013 by Tony Seba
Looking for a Keynote Speaker?
Sample Topics:
• Understanding and Leading Market Disruption
• Clean Energy: Market and Investment Opportunities
• Clean & Sustainable Cities – technology mega-trends that
are reshaping urban infrastructure
• The Future of Energy and Transportation: why oil, coal, gas,
and nuclear ($8 trillion/year) are nearly obsolete
Workshops and MasterCourses
The following Stanford courses are available as 1-day or 2-day in-
house workshops or mastercourses:
• Clean Energy - Market and Investment Opportunities,
• Understanding and Leading Market Disruption,
• Strategic Marketing of High Tech and Clean Tech Products and
Innovations
• Finance for Entrepreneurs, Product Developers, and Marketing
Blog: Entrepreneurship & Clean Energy
For more information Click Here: TonySeba.com
Books