Comments on: Visual Comparison of Electricity Generation Technologies

By: Luis Carrasco-Salvo

Luis Carrasco-Salvo — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 04:02:04 +0000

Sir:
I appreciate very much your focusing of this matters, and how are they presented on these two graphs — I understand that the way how you show these aspects of the so many different sources of energy to-day is a very teaching and useful presentation. I will tray to follow your skills. Please accept my thanks. I’m a teacher
Carrasco

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 00:27:45 +0000

The CSP price I show in the chart is actually the Ausra number, but since they have only one collector field, I have reconsidered, and am waiting for the number be shown in the field.

I have little doubt CSP will get to $.08 / kWh, but it may take a few more years before we’re there.

By: davea0511

davea0511 — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 19:44:05 +0000

Thanks for being one of a very few people who are bringing this most critical of information into the forefront. I however disagree with your assessment that you were too optimistic in the price of CSP. Ausra has said with new CSP technologies they expect to reach $0.08/kWh, and some within the company have said that with economies of scale and implementation of developing technologies the cost could be as low as $0.05/kWh. When you make these charts it is important to use expected costs rather than historical costs. The current costs of CSP is already only in the $0.14 range in the newest CSP facilities.

Sad how most of the renewables-earmarked gov’t money has gone to the least promising of technologies. You need to be a squeaky wheel with this info.

By: After Gutenberg » IPCC Recommended Technologies and Practices to mitigate Emissions from Energy Production

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 02:13:24 +0000

[...] the interconnected electricity system is a great engineering and operational challenge. It also is an opportunity for saving energy rather than buying energy and this blog is a proponent of greater localization and [...]

By: Gordhan Valasai

Gordhan Valasai — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 04:51:05 +0000

Thank you, for providing much needed information.

By: Transport Fuels and Solar Technologies: Bird’s Eye View « EE/RE Investing

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:49:14 +0000

[...] we can get an understanding of the broad trends of energy technologies. Last week, I added to the Visual comparison of Electricity Generation Technologies I did last spring with a new Visual Comparison of Transport [...]

By: Alt Energy Stocks » Blog Archive » Visual Comparison of Alternative Transportation Fuels

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:35:37 +0000

[...] and expand on some graphs I constructed this spring: I created a pair of graphs which give an overview of how different electricity generation technologies compare. These are not precise graphs with anything resembling scientific accuracy, but I think [...]

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 22:24:23 +0000

Thanks Sopogy (and for the quotes on your site.) I have to update that CSP chart, though… there have been some great advances in concentrating PV recently… the price per kwh is too high. I also think I was too optimistic about the price per kwh for CSP with current technology…. but at least time is making that one more accurate, not less (like CPV).

By: The OTHER Solar - Sopogy

The OTHER Solar - Sopogy — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 20:48:25 +0000

[...] Visual Comparisons of Electricity Generation Technologies [...]

By: Sopogy

Sopogy — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 20:33:01 +0000

Really fantastic work on this piece Tom. This type of information is often ignored due to industry positioning and your work provides a good landscape summary covering the major sectors of the energy industry. Thanks for sharing this with the public.

In your availability chart, an interesting observation is that the first renewable generation technology (3rd overall after efficiency and gas) is concentrated solar power aka CSP. In your lowest emissions chart, CSP is also in the “best of show” category. The challenge for CSP will be to bring down the costs, essentially moving the dots over from a MWH standpoint.

Thanks and keep up the good work ~ Sopogy

By: Ole King Coal and the Syngas Spin at After Gutenberg

Ole King Coal and the Syngas Spin at After Gutenberg — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 05:25:31 +0000

[...] give the last word to Tom Konrad, who recently provided a visual comparison of electricity generation technologies. Improving transmission efficiency won ahead of other technologies when comparing 1) availablilty [...]