• RecallMadness
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    17
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    7 months ago

    Is this just the cost per raw Watt produced?

    Is it a fair comparison vs conventional fuel-based power (coal/nuclear)?

    Ie: if you wanted to build a plant capable of producing continuously, 24 hours a day, you would need some multiple of solar panels to produce an excess during daylight, and storage.

    Not that drastic drops in solar costs aren’t bad, just what would the cost-per-watt be if you had to power an average city on just solar for a year?

    • rbesfe@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      15
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      7 months ago

      Look at the subtitle on the chart, it’s levelized cost over the generator’s lifetime. So not including storage for any intermittent source like solar or wind

      • interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        7
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        7 months ago

        And not including the financing cost of buying up an this upfront.

        I’m buying 36kWh solar array and it will be home made diy, used.parts and maximum jank and don’t paid upfront because that’s the only way it makes economic sense and that’s hoping it works for more than 7 years (break even point at my insolation level and and grid price (8.8$cad/kWh) and it only works with net metering)

        • Pipoca@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          5
          ·
          7 months ago

          Levelized cost averages the fixed costs over the lifetime of the generation

          They’re generally comparing utility scale installations, not home rooftop solar though.

        • Professorozone@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          3
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          7 months ago

          In my area, you don’t get any government incentives unless it is professionally installed. They get you coming and going.

    • corship@feddit.de
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      12
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      7 months ago

      Well you’ll never get a “fair” comparison, because the environmental effects are never properly priced into the consumer price.