NUCLEAR energy will be more expensive than most forms of renewable energy by 2020 according to a paper by the University of NSW energy expert Mark Diesendorf.
The paper, to be given at a solar industry conference in Canberra today, finds the cheapest renewable energy sources – including landfill gas, onshore wind, conventional geothermal and hydro – are already cost-competitive with conventional nuclear energy power plants.
By 2020, offshore wind farms, solar thermal and solar photovoltaics are all projected to be less expensive than nuclear energy.
via Nuclear power ‘failing’ price test.
Filed under: Global Warming, sustainability, sustainable
Until we have far more advanced and affordable batteries, and until we develop technological substitutes for rare earths, renewable energy will not be able to provide baseload. The electric cars that everyone wants to drive will increase the estimates of electricity. I find these speculations on cost to be an educated guess, and just that.