| Biol 2650 |
Electrical Power Generation |
Fall 05 |
Comparison of the primary energy sources used to generate
electricity in the US and California
| Source |
US |
1998 California
2004 |
| Coal |
51.2% |
20%
19.8% |
| Nuclear |
20.7% |
16%
12.9% |
| Large Hydroelectric |
5.8% |
22%
14.8 % |
| Natural Gas |
16.8% |
31%
41.2% |
| Oil |
3.4% |
0
0% |
| Renewables* |
2.1% |
11%
10.6% |
US figures from text, CA figures from www.energy.ca.gov/electricity/gross_system_power.html* Biomass, waste, geothermal, small hydroelectric, solar, wind
Comparison of costs of various energy sources (cents/kwhr)
| Source |
Capital and Operating Cost |
Environmental Cost |
Total Cost |
| Coal |
3.3 |
2.9 - 6.6 |
6.2 - 9.9 |
| Nuclear |
3.7 |
3.3 |
7.0 |
| Natural Gas |
5.9 |
0.8 - 1.2 |
6.7 - 7.1 |
| Wind |
4 - 6 |
0.0 - 0.1 |
4.0 - 6.1 |
| Waste (MSW) |
|
4.6 |
|
| Solar (PV) |
|
0.0 - 0.5 |
|
| Oil |
|
3.1 - 7.7 |
|
Capital and operating costs from The Economics of Nuclear Power, Nuclear
Issues Briefing Paper 8, Dec. 2002, Environmental costs from www.iclei.org/EFACTS
Costs of Electricity With and Without External Costs
| Source |
Generating Cost 1 |
External Costs 2 |
Total Costs cents/kwh |
| Coal/lignite |
4.3 - 4.8 |
2 - 15 |
6.3 - 19 |
| Nuclear |
10 - 14 |
0.2 - 0.7 |
10.2 - 14.7 |
| Natural Gas (new) |
3.4 - 5.0 |
1 - 4 |
4.4 - 9.0 |
| Biomass |
7 - 9 |
1 - 3 |
8 - 12 |
| Hydropower |
2.4 - 7.7 |
0 - 1 |
2.4 - 8.7 |
| Solar (PV) |
25 - 50 |
0.6 |
25.6 - 50.6 |
| Wind |
4 - 6 |
0.05 - 0.25 |
4.05 - 6.25 |
1 For the United States and Europe 2 Environmental and
health costs for 15 countries in Europe From: Sawin,
Janet. 2002. Charting a New energy Future. State of the world 2003.
Worldwatch Institute |