Solar power & Wind Power for residental use

[KennyG]

The thing is cost of electricity will go up regardless of solar or wind. It will go up especially if nuclear plants are build. I worked on many energy project over past 30 years. I don't remember single one without large cost overrun and delays. 30% or larger cost overrun is quite typical. I would predict that construction of nuclear plant will suffer 50% cost overrun even when they build them as cookie cutter. Then the utility will use that as excuse to rise rates.

There are currently 4 nuclear units nearing completion in Georgia and South Carolina. They are first of a kind (being built in parallel with almost identical units in China). They have experienced delays and cost increases but it looks as though the final cost overrun will be less than 20%. If additional units are built they should be able to stay close to budget.

 

[buickanddeere]

Both China and Korea have recently built PHWR. The plan is to fuel them with used PWR fuel and avoid the dirty re-enrichment of used fuel.

 

[KennyG]

Both China and Korea have recently built PHWR. The plan is to fuel them with used PWR fuel and avoid the dirty re-enrichment of used fuel.

Per my data, the China started up their last PHWR in 2003 and Korea in 1999. I wouldn't call that recent. No more planned as far as I can tell. Some talk about completing mothballed projects in Romania and Argentina but nothing actually happening.

 

[bigdeano]

Lets hope the Chinese reactors are built better than a lot of the stuff we get from them. We're down wind from them.

 

[jcwells]

...My PV system would pay for itself in about 14 years without subsidy and without net metering. In fact our utility subsidizes geothermal or high efficiency heating by charging much lower rate for heating. Well unless you have alternative source of electricity. If you do they will take heating rate away and charge you full rate that is about 100% higher. If I would have net metering my system will pay for itself in less than three years. ...

Quick question on this part of your comment; what is the rate (cents/kwh) that you are paying for your grid electricity?

I have full value net metering with my electric service provider (Grayson County Electric Cooperative), and I'm paying a current rate of $0.107/kwh, living in rural N. Texas. If I had a grid-tied PV system installed, GCEC would pay me that same $0.107/kwh that I put back through my meter. About as generous terms as anybody in the country would be getting. That said, the very cheapest install I could do (after my 30% federal tax credit) would be about $1.30/PV watt installed. That works out as about 7.5 years payout. For me to get a 3 year payout, I'd have to be paying more that $0.28/kwh. I'm pretty sure that you don't get twice as much sun in south central Iowa as I get here in Texas. Just trying to understand where our math differs...

John

 

[houstonscott]

Quick question on this part of your comment; what is the rate (cents/kwh) that you are paying for your grid electricity? I have full value net metering with my electric service provider (Grayson County Electric Cooperative), and I'm paying a current rate of $0.107/kwh, living in rural N. Texas. If I had a grid-tied PV system installed, GCEC would pay me that same $0.107/kwh that I put back through my meter. About as generous terms as anybody in the country would be getting. That said, the very cheapest install I could do (after my 30% federal tax credit) would be about $1.30/PV watt installed. That works out as about 7.5 years payout. For me to get a 3 year payout, I'd have to be paying more that $0.28/kwh. I'm pretty sure that you don't get twice as much sun in south central Iowa as I get here in Texas. Just trying to understand where our math differs... John

Yeah, his numbers are delusional. Even with net metering and 30% tax break mine might take 16 years to pay for its total cost. Not sure he has looked at energy costs to power generating companies but energy cost are down way down and with all the gas and oil discovered in this country and fracking technologies the upside of more expensive electric costs seem low right now. HS

 

[3930dave]

Quick question on this part of your comment; what is the rate (cents/kwh) that you are paying for your grid electricity?

I have full value net metering with my electric service provider (Grayson County Electric Cooperative), and I'm paying a current rate of $0.107/kwh, living in rural N. Texas. If I had a grid-tied PV system installed, GCEC would pay me that same $0.107/kwh that I put back through my meter. About as generous terms as anybody in the country would be getting. That said, the very cheapest install I could do (after my 30% federal tax credit) would be about $1.30/PV watt installed. That works out as about 7.5 years payout. For me to get a 3 year payout, I'd have to be paying more that $0.28/kwh. I'm pretty sure that you don't get twice as much sun in south central Iowa as I get here in Texas. Just trying to understand where our math differs...

John

Input #'s differ here, but payback on ground-mount solar was about 7 years, so plenty of farmers in Ontario jumped on that.

Admittedly, farmers tend to have a higher pain thresholds than most, being conditioned to standing in a field, tearing up $1,000 bills.

Rgds, D.

 

[buickanddeere]

Lets hope the Chinese reactors are built better than a lot of the stuff we get from them. We're down wind from them.

They were Candu units not a carbon graphite moderated design. Built on budget and on time .

 

[buickanddeere]

Input #'s differ here, but payback on ground-mount solar was about 7 years, so plenty of farmers in Ontario jumped on that.

Admittedly, farmers tend to have a higher pain thresholds than most, being conditioned to standing in a field, tearing up $1,000 bills.

Rgds, D.

80.2 cents per KW/hr for those Ontario ground mount trackers over 20years . Of course they pay off for the owner in these times of low interest rates.

 

[KennyG]

Just to give you an idea of where China is on nuclear power. Currently they have 2 operating CANDU (heavy water reactors), 4 operating French PWR reactors and 23 operating PWRs (locally designed based on French and Westinghouse designs). They 8 Westinghouse Advanced PWRs, 2 French PWRs and 26 locally designed PWRs under construction. They have enough more in the planning stage to pass the US by 2030 and have more nuclear power than anyone else in the world.

India is close behind. They may well surpass the US in nuclear capacity by 2040.

Both of those countries made decisions on how to move forward with a full understanding of the potential of renewables but without politics to get in the way.