WIND PRICE COMPETES W/COAL IF EMISSIONS GET PRICED

Wind energy infrastructure would raise price 20%, study says
June 24, 2009 (Bloomberg News via LA Times)

"Harnessing and delivering enough wind power to make it a significant source of energy in the U.S. may raise its cost by 20 percent…Building transmission lines would cost as much as $4 billion a year, and managing its variability would add further to its price [but]…Prices would still be competitive with other energy sources if the U.S. approves legislation to limit greenhouse gases [according to a new report from the Pew Center for Climate Change…

"With greenhouse-gas curbs in place, power from wind would be "more expensive than that from natural gas, but in many cases still less expensive than that from new nuclear or coal with carbon capture and storage," Pew said in the report."

A study earlier this year by investment bank Credit Suisse came to the same conclusion as the Pew study. (click to enlarge)

"A climate and energy bill being considered by the U.S. House would mandate that 15 percent of power come from renewable sources such as wind, solar and biomass by 2025. The legislation also would require utilities that use coal and natural gas to buy permits for their emissions of carbon dioxide. President Barack Obama has set a goal for the nation to get 25 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025…

"Wind energy now costs between 9 and 12 cents per kilowatt hour, solar power costs between 24 cents and 59 cents, and natural gas ranges from 5 to 10 cents, the report says."