Cost Analysis Of Wind Turbines And Solar Panels

One way or another the price of energy derived from non renewable sources oil coal nuclear gas is going to go up very soon.

Cost analysis of wind turbines and solar panels.

Any type of energy comes with some cost to the environment though and solar and wind energy is no different. Renewables such as hydro wind and solar are much more constant and costs can be kept down in the long term. Wind capacity additions increased 18 from 2017 to 2018 as the average construction cost for wind turbines dropped 16 to 1 382 per kw. Bats and birds are killed every year by wind turbines.

In fact one wind turbine can generate the same amount of electricity per kwh as about 48 704 solar panels. Out of all the renewable energy produced in the u s. Which is 16 000 compared to the 10 000 average cost of 4 kw generating solar panels. The primary benefit of wind over solar power for your home is that wind turbines aren t dependent on sunlight.

Compared to solar panels wind turbines release less co2 to the atmosphere consume less energy and produce more energy overall. Utilities and large scale operations heavily utilize wind energy while homeowners prefer solar energy. While the cost of wind and solar power generation declined nuclear and hydropower costs rose 21 percent and 9 percent respectively during the same period. Solar panels can take up large chunks of desert previously used by a host of wildlife from pronghorns and tortoises to coyotes and rattlesnakes.

The average solar panel will lose 1 2 of its capacity every 8 10 years so in 20 years will only produce 1 4 of its installed output. The end consumer pays about 2 a peak watt for solar panels 1 4 the actual cost because the panels are quadruple funded by taxes there is also the problem of wear and maintenance. Maintenance and operational costs of the wind turbines which consists of insurance cost regular maintenance repair and spare parts tend to be very high. In 2019 24 came from wind while 9 came from solar power.

In 2010 china accounted for the largest share over 20 of the total wind capacity worldwide followed by korea. Solar and onshore wind turbines saw the biggest price declines among low carbon energy sources between 2009 and 2017. Since large scale wind turbines and offshore wind energy resources are. Solar pv module prices have fallen by around 90 since the end of 2009 while wind turbine prices have fallen by 55 60 since 2010.

But the enormous power generating capacity of wind turbines doesn t make wind energy a clear winner.