News

Wind Power Can Be Cost-Comparable, New Analysis Reveals

March 26, 2014
Source: Dedrick, Kramer, and Linden (2014)

The costs of using wind energy and natural gas for electricity are virtually equal when accounting for the full private and social costs of each, making wind a competitive energy source for the United States, according to a new study on the federal tax credit for wind energy.

Just released by researchers at Syracuse University and the University of California, Berkeley the analysis shows that wind energy comes within .35 cents per kWh when levelized over the 20-year life of a typical wind contract, compared on an equivalent basis to the full costs for natural gas-fired energy, according to Jason Dedrick, associate professor at Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies (iSchool).  Read more.