DENMARK OCEAN WIND PRICE BEATS NUKES, NAT GAS

The myth of expensive offshore wind: it’s already cheaper than gas-fired and nuclear

Mike Parr, March 31, 2015 (Energy Post)

“Offshore wind is routinely criticized for being too expensive…The Danish offshore wind target is 1350MW by 2020…[Denmark publishes data on] every single wind turbine onshore and offshore in the country…This data facilitates a financial analysis…Anholt has been built, Horns Rev 2 is in planning and Saeby will soon be out for tender. The estimate for the capacity factor (CF) for Anholt in a normal year is around 77%...but to be conservative I have assumed a CF of 65%. Horns Rev 3 will be built near Horns Rev 2 which has a known CF of 50%...I have assumed a wholesale price of €25/MWh for a period of 15 years after the 10-year [subsideized] period is over…I have also assumed a discount rate of 5% (cost of capital/debt)…Based on the Prognos report for the Bavarian government (published in November 2014) [the price of natural gas from CCGTs is around €90/MWh]…Anholt turns out to be 14% cheaper and Horns Rev3 around 37% cheaper…If we compare the offshore wind farms to the cost of the nuclear power project proposed at Hinkley Point, which will get £92.50 (about €125) per MWh for 35 years, Anholt delivers electricity that is 40% cheaper, Horns Rev3 will deliver electricity that is 58% cheaper and Saeby 60% cheaper…” click here for more

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