Worlds Cheapest Solar. 2.99 cents per kWh. Dubai (gas, LED, natural)

[Philip T]

New Record Set for World's Cheapest Solar, Knocks Coal and Gas Prices Out of the Park

2.99 Cents Per kWh.

Nukes, Coal and even Natural Gas is sooooo dead.

[Freak80]

Originally Posted by Philip T

New Record Set for World's Cheapest Solar, Knocks Coal and Gas Prices Out of the Park

2.99 Cents Per kWh.

Nukes, Coal and even Natural Gas is sooooo dead.

Except at night and during cloudy weather.

[Philip T]

Originally Posted by Freak80

Except at night and during cloudy weather.

. . . . when it is not really needed. (used mostly for Cooling and Water)

[ukrkoz]

You can see it
But you can't have it.

[Freak80]

Originally Posted by Philip T

. . . . when it is not really needed. (used mostly for Cooling and Water)

I still turn my lights on at night. How about you?

I'm all for solar, but there are still some BIG hurdles (like finding a cheap way to store energy for night time and cloudy weather) before coal and gas can go away completely.

[509]

Did anybody notice that the price is the BID?? Not the actual tariff charged for solar electricity.

It will be interesting to see what the actual cost is once the facility is constructed and operating.

[DCforever]

Originally Posted by Freak80

I still turn my lights on at night. How about you?

I'm all for solar, but there are still some BIG hurdles (like finding a cheap way to store energy for night time and cloudy weather) before coal and gas can go away completely.

Wind turbine work best at night. Renewables should include a portfolio of technologies.

[DCforever]

Originally Posted by 509

Did anybody notice that the price is the BID?? Not the actual tariff charged for solar electricity.

It will be interesting to see what the actual cost is once the facility is constructed and operating.

In the United States, bid prices become contractual commitments for the winner.

[Philip T]

Originally Posted by Freak80

I still turn my lights on at night. How about you?

I'm all for solar, but there are still some BIG hurdles (like finding a cheap way to store energy for night time and cloudy weather) before coal and gas can go away completely.

You misunderstand the current situation . . . and actually have it backwards?

Probably from the bias of using yourself as the perspective?

Not dogging you at all in that, it is a common misunderstanding.

Real Deal -- Present Coal (especially) and Nukes (also) are vastly surplus. As they can ONLY make "baseload" power (runs all night, runs all day) and cannot really "ramp up" for the day.

Most of the world's Electricity Consumption is during the (local) daytime. Overnight lights use little energy, and with the advent of Compact Fluorescent and LED even less so. Turns out Conservation really worked. (Yeah, we never saw that coming in the industry, either )

At this point Coal and Nukes are so surplus in the US that we could tear down one of each per year (and NOT build ANY new) and we would still be tearing down 100 years from now. Really. THAT is how overbuilt they are. Like Big Tail Fin Cars from 1958.

Here is a sample story, with some of the numbers: Flurry of Coal Power Plant Shutdowns Expected by 2016 | Climate Central

The BIG demand for power is in the Day. When the Sun Shines and somewhat after -- sometimes called the Thermal Lag. Part of Cooling being the largest load (not night-time lighting) shows up to create that Thermal Lag. That can be well met with Solar Thermal and Solar HVAC (both of which lag almost exactly with the Cooling Load (from the same cause -- duh, huh?)

But between the Solar PV working as soon as the Sun is up, and then all day, with Solar Thermal kicking in about 10 am and coasting in the evening . . . and then spread that across a few time zones . . . there is NO NEED for Storage for Decades, and maybe even a Century -- and then not likely either.

But like I say, it is common to have this misunderstand and have things backwards. Here is how REAL WORLD GRID and Thermal Storage works -- it takes the Cheap, Surplus, and otherwise Useless Generation from Deep Night . . . to move it into the Premium Daytime.

Power Generation Storage:

https://www.consumersenergy.com/content.aspx?id=6985

Thermal Storage: (I worked on building this site around 15 to 20 years ago).

DOE Global Energy Storage Database

[Philip T]

Originally Posted by 509

Did anybody notice that the price is the BID?? Not the actual tariff charged for solar electricity.

It will be interesting to see what the actual cost is once the facility is constructed and operating.

Modeling it to the US Market -- It would be the WHOLESALE Price.

Then what I think you are calling a "tariff" is what we would call the Retail (or Meter) Price.

In between WHOLESALE and RETAIL there is Transmission (the really Big Lines) and then Distribution (the Step-Down-Substation and little lines that run up and down the street).

Each of those layers adds Equipment (Capital) and Operation and Maintenance Costs and markups.

The way local Solar has been competing is by being local, it avoids the Transmission and Distribution costs, as it makes the power at or near the user site.

BUT THIS -- at under 3 cents per kWh -- for Production or Wholesale Price -- it beats Coal and Nukes and even Natural Gas -- before the fuel(s) are even factored in, right at the front end.

And since it will be likely used for Cooling and Water in Dubai -- Generating during the Prime Time of the Sunshine Day -- it is making that cheap power exactly when it is needed.