In US dollars this gives a cost of under 18 cents a kilowatt-hour for most of Australia’s population, about 20 cents for Melbourne, and about 14 cents in desert sunny Cloncurry.

You’re posting from his address.

http://www.nrel.gov/analysis/tech_lcoe.html

I left in the 4% discount rate. If financing is higher where you are then that would drive the price per kWh higher.

When using the LCOE page remember to take heat rate and fuel cost to zero.
I do find this way of estimating the cost of electricity a bit incorrect because it does not allow for the years/decades of no-cost electricity which follow the pay off. It’s true that fossil fuel plants are also paid off at some point, but their fuel and maintenance costs continue.

For the first 20 years. After that the electricity is free.

And during the 20 year payback period the price of electricity would not rise. If grid prices rise 3% per year the retail price of electricity from the grid will increase to over $0.33/kWh.

The only reason Australia hasn’t embraced CSP already is the threat it represents to the coal industries grip on political power.

Geothermal can work in a few specific areas but not across the whole country. There are very few places in Australia that couldn’t host a local CSP plant. That means distributed localised energy production, energy security and jobs.

Wave energy is also possible but it requires massive investments in new technological advancements so unlikely to kick in before the oil runs out.

Ghawar is now producing 80:20 water:oil output so there isn’t much time left. Probably by the end of this decade.

Unfortunately the fascists in control are only interested in their own personal bottom line which is firmly propped up by the Elites. there is little chance they will be convinced to make the changes required for the future of all Australians. It looks like it will take a severe disruption to global energy supply to force anything substantial to actually happen over here.

The coal industry is firmly entrenched and Murdoch controls 90% of mainstream media.

The Laboural parties are beholden to elite interests and they manipulate the political process with corrupt polling results which continues to block the greens who should actually be in control by now.

Australia could be the world leader in renewables but has chosen to lag behind, go to war in the Middle East and continue to exploit it’s vast mineral resources instead. Hence we are the per capita largest consumers of fossil fuels in the world by a very large margin.

http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0004/34582/SKM-DPI-Renewable-Energy-Part2-v5_img_11.gif

Furthermore, new turbine design allows for efficient energy harvesting in ‘less than optimal’ wind sites. It’s a matter of fitting the tool to the job.

Australia has enormous renewable potential. Lots of wind, lots of solar, lots of geothermal, lots of wave….

No power generation technology gives 100% of nameplate.

From Origin’s web site in which they help people purchase solar systems –

“Take advantage of our 24 month interest free payment plan, just 5% up front and the rest over 24 months on your credit card^.

Origin is Australia’s largest solar retailer with over 60,000 installations!

Our 24 month interest free payment plan^ makes it easy.”