%0 Journal Article
%T A Comparative Analysis of Energy Costs of Photovoltaic, Solar Thermal, and Wind Electricity Generation Technologies
%A Michael Dale
%J Applied Sciences
%D 2013
%I MDPI AG
%R 10.3390/app3020325
%X Global installed capacity of renewable energy technologies is growing rapidly. The ability of renewable technologies to enable a rapid transition to a low carbon energy system is highly dependent on the energy that must be ¡°consumed¡± during their life-cycle. This paper presents the results of meta-analyses of life-cycle assessments (LCA) of energy costs of three renewable technologies: solar photovoltaic (PV), concentrating solar power (CSP), and wind. The paper presents these findings as energetic analogies with financial cost parameters for assessing energy technologies: overnight capital cost, operating costs and levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). The findings suggest that wind energy has the lowest energy costs, followed by CSP and then PV.
%K renewable energy
%K solar photovoltaic
%K concentrating solar power
%K wind power
%K life-cycle assessment
%K LCA
%K meta-analysis
%K technology assessment
%K net energy analysis
%U http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/3/2/325