Ben Christensen, dealing with the forecasting of costs for the development of wind power at Siemens, shared that offshore (or marine) wind energy Europe has reached the figures for 3-4 years ahead of schedule, reaching the level of costs 100 euros per produced MWh of electricity. In other words, the construction of offshore wind farms can now be done without government subsidies, as they become cost-effective without additional support, according to the portal Futurism.
The expert notes that over the past three years there has been a dramatic decrease in the cost of production of wind energy. In 2014, the figure had fallen to 27 percent. According to economic analysis conducted by the analyst firm Lazard in 2016, the content of energy sources has become cheaper or equivalent to the cost of maintenance of generators, coal-fired, nuclear reactors, and solar panels installed on the roofs of buildings.
Some industry analysts are predicting an even larger decline in the cost of such electricity and talking about the numbers 75 and 62 Euro per produced MW·h, However the final figure, according to experts, will depend on the further development of technologies for the production of turbines, cables and converters. For example, it is expected that offshore wind farms Gamesa Siemens Vestas and MHI will feature a new technology somewhere in the years 2024-2025, when the final stage of the project implementation on construction of new farms in the North sea.
Reducing the cost of operation cost of wind farms is an important victory in the development of alternative energy makes this source attractive from economic and environmental points of view, which is crucial for the successful adaptation of this direction. Amid this trend can not but rejoice the news, such as from Denmark, who this spring ran an experiment to ensure that all of its energy needs through wind energy during the day. Success was achieved through the use of very powerful turbines are able to generate 216, 000 MW·h of electricity per day.
Cost reduction of renewable energy production is observed not only in the wind industry. The same victory can be seen in solar energy. According to a recent report by Bloomberg, in four years, the production of solar energy will become more cost effective than coal mining. Reinforce that hope figures. Over the last 5 years the cost of production costs of this type of energy fell by 58 percent.
Eventually mankind on the background of its growth will consume more and more energy. To protect the planet from pollution and slow down the process of global climate change we need if we are not to abandon the high consumption of energy, at least to switch to cleaner types of production of this energy. And particular perspectives are seen in wind and solar energy.
Wind energy became cheaper than combustible fuels
Nikolai Khizhnyak