Laka Foundation

Publication Laka-library:
Solar and nuclear costs: The historic crossover: Solar energy is now the better buy (2010)

AuthorNC WARN, J.O.Blackburn
6-01-0-10-85.pdf
DateJuly 2010
Classification 6.01.0.10/85 (COSTS)
Front

From the publication:

Solar and Nuclear Costs —
The Historic Crossover
Solar Energy is Now the Better Buy


  $
   COST




    $
          1998         2010               2015



                                    John O. Blackburn
                                     Sam Cunningham
                                             July 2010


                          Prepared for
Contents
Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The Backdrop for Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
The Sun is Changing the Game. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Who Pays for New Nuclear?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Witnessing the Crossover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Jobs and Manufacturing — in North Carolina. . . . . . . . . . 10
Is the Public Ahead of the Utilities?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Financing Solar Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  11
What About Subsidies?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  11
Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Appendix A: Methodology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Appendix B: Nuclear plant cost estimates
and upward revisions per reactor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19




John O. Blackburn, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Economics and former Chancellor, Duke University. Dr. Blackburn has conducted research into energy
efficiency and renewable energy over a period of more than thirty years. He has authored two books and numerous articles on the future of energy, and
has served on the Advisory Boards of the Florida Solar Energy Center and the Biomass Research Program at the University of Florida. He has testified
before the NC Utilities Commission in several utility dockets on electricity supply and demand, energy efficiency, and