Comparison between various sources of electrical power production. What you find on the internet is a lot of misinformation. This will set you straight, hopefully.

1. Teddie S. Hays
09 April, 2015

2. Source- Eurelectric

3. There Is No Standard!!

4. Cents Per kWh by State
State Residential Commercial Industrial
Oregon 10.2 86.5 5.8
California 17.1 14.1 10.8
New York 19.3 14.9 6.1
South Dakota 10.0 86.0 6.9
Ohio 12.3 98.9 6.6
Texas 11.8 80.0 6.3
Florida 11.9 10.0 8.0

5. Renewable Energy World .com
 “People like to compare the cost to generate
electricity from various resources, like wind
or solar, to the cost to generate electricity
from coal, nuclear and natural gas.
Comparing these costs is like comparing
apples to oranges.”

6. Apples vs. Oranges
 While both are fruits and both have seeds that’s
about where the similarities end. Have you ever
had an Orange pie? How about Apple sherbet ice
cream? Another analogy would be to compare a
skateboard to a car. They are both vehicles with
four wheels but that’s about all they have in
common.

8. The “Other” Types
Coal
Natural Gas
Nuclear
Wind
Solar

9. What are “Economic Benefits”?
 Cost to Consumer?
 Infrastructure?
 Longevity?
 Job creation?
 Efficiency?
 Environmental Impact?
 Safety?
 Cost of initial investment?
 Reliability?
 Operations and Maintenance (O&M)?

10. In a nutshell they are:
Capital Cost
Cost of O&M
Efficiency
Cost to Consumer
Environmental Impact

11. Capital Cost
 The 1939 total cost of building the dam was estimated
by the Army Corps of Engineers at $23,700,000.
 McNary Dam estimated cost in 1977 was $304,700,00.
 $304,700,00 = $1.2 billion today
 McNary produces estimated $300 million worth of
power a year with an average budget of $25 million.
 Estimated cost of new hydro plants are $3 thousand
per kw/h.
 $1.5 billion = 500 MW plant

12. Over Night Capital Cost
Type Capacity $/KW 500 MW Plant
Cost (Billions)
Coal w/ CCS 650 MW $5,227 $2.61
Natural Gas w/
CCS
340 MW $2,095 $1.05
Nuclear 2000 MW $5,530 $2.77
Wind 100 MW $2,213 $1.11
Solar 150 MW $3,873 $1.94
Hydro 500 MW $2,936 $1.47

13. O & M
Type Capacity $/kW - yr $ million – yr
(@ 500 MW)
Coal w/ CCS 650 MW $80.53 $40.2
Natural Gas w/
CCS
340 MW $31.79 $15.9
Nuclear 2000 MW $93.28 $46.6
Wind 100 MW $39.55 $19.8
Solar 150 MW $24.69 $12.3
Hydro 500 MW $14.13 $7.1

14. Efficiency
Type Efficiency %
Coal w/ CCS 32% - 48%
Natural Gas w/ CCS 32% -38%
(w/ Co-Gen 60%)
Nuclear 36% - 40%
Wind 30% – 45%
Solar 12% - 20%
Hydro 85% - 90%

15. Cost to Consumer

16. Flood Control

17. Environmental Impact

18. Coal
 Little expensive
 Low-end of efficiency
 Mid-range cost to consumer
 Abundant source of coal
 Horrible for the environment

19. Natural Gas
 Very cheap
 Can be efficient w/ Co-Gen
 Low cost to consumers
 Abundant source of Natural Gas
 Low emissions, Fracking protested greatly

20. Nuclear
Mid-range cost
Low-end efficiency
Higher consumer cost
Cheap fuel source
Nuclear Waste and possibility of
meltdown

21. Wind
Low-range cost (with Gov. subsides)
Average efficiency
Low consumer cost
Fuel source unpredictability
Approve by environmentalists, may
cause draught

22. Solar
Very expensive
Worst efficiency
High cost to consumer
Fuel source unpredictability
Loved by environmentalists, not
practical

23. Hydro
 Low range cost
 Highest efficiency
 Lowest cost to consumer
 Renewable fuel source
 No emissions, renewable, some
environmental impact, hated by
environmentalists

24. Conclusion
If we can’t agree on the best ways to build our economy
how can we agree on the best ways to build
economically viable power plants?
At what point does cost and efficiency stop being a factor
due to demand?
If we outgrow our provision for energy production where
do we turn?