Every time a power plant is brought by a regulated utility to the public service commission, a full life cycle cost analysis needs to be presented. In the case of natural gas power plants for example, the utility has to include a cost curve for natural gas fuel costs looking out many years. It doesn’t actually have to pre-purchase the natural gas (the price would be too high) but it has to present a forecast. Since solar offers a guaranteed fuel cost, wouldn’t it make sense that natural gas power plants also have to shelter ratepayers from ALL deviations from the fuel cost forecast and the investors of the utilities should bear the risk?
- CleanTechnica: Dear Hawaii – Read Your Mail Before Your Utility Sells Out
- EDF: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly When Oil Giants Shift to Natural Gas
- PV-Magazine: US – 16 GW of 32 GW utility-scale solar pipeline to be completed by ITC deadline
- Grist: You probably missed this climate change promise hidden in Clinton’s speech
- Vox: Every country is now pledging to tackle CO2 emissions. It’s still not enough.
- Business Journal: North Carolina holds on to fourth place in new solar construction for Q1
- Utility Dive: How utilities are finding new revenue streams to combat stagnant load growth
- Bloomberg: JA Solar Forms Committee to Evaluate CEO’s Buyout Offer
Opinions
Have a great day!
Yann