Wind levelized cost of energy
Subtitle: a comparison of technical and financing input variables
By: Karlynn Cory and Paul Schwabe
Contributors: Schwabe, Paul; National Renewable Energy Laboratory (U.S.)
Series: NREL/TP -- 6A2-46671; NREL/TP -- 6 A 2-46671.
Publisher: National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Published: 2009
Place of publication: Golden, Colo
Language: eng
Format: [electronic resource] :
Number of pages: 25
Subjects: Wind power industry; Business enterprises; Finance
Description: The expansion of wind power capacity in the United States has increased the demand for project development capital. In response, innovative approaches to financing wind projects have emerged and are proliferating in the U.S. renewable energy marketplace. Wind power developers and financiers have become more efficient and creative in structuring their financial relationships, and often tailor them to different investor types and objectives. As a result, two similar projects may use very different cash flows and financing arrangements, which can significantly vary the economic competitiveness of wind projects. This report assesses the relative impact of numerous financing, technical, and operating variables on the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) associated with a wind project under various financing structures in the U.S. marketplace. Under this analysis, the impacts of several financial and technical variables on the cost of wind electricity generation are first examined individually to better understand the relative importance of each. Then,analysts examine a low-cost and a high-cost financing scenario, where multiple variables are modified simultaneously. Lastly, the analysis also considers the impact of a suite of financial variables versus a suite of technical variables.
Notes: Title from title screen (viewed October 22, 2009).

"October 2009."

Includes bibliographical references (p. 16).

DE-AC36-08-GO28308 WER9.3550

Full text available via Internet in .pdf format. Adobe Acrobat Reader required.