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Table 6 Cost estimates for emission-neutral power plants ($/MWh)

From: The role of natural gas as a primary fuel in the near future, including comparisons of acquisition, transmission and waste handling costs of as with competitive alternatives

Plant type

Levelised capital costs: over 20 yrs ($/MWh)

O&M costs (variable and fixed) ($/MWh)

Total fuel price ($/MWh)*

Total cost† ($/MWh) (CO2 = $5)

Rank 1 (CO2 = $0)

Rank 2 (CO2 = $5)

Rank 3‡ (CO2 = $10)

Wind (50MW)

19

10

-

29

2

1

1

Coal (400 MW)

9

7

11

34

1

2

2

Gas CC (400(MW)

4

4

27

37

3

3

2

Gas CT (80MW)

14

2

44

64

4

4

3

Solar (5MW)

77

3

-

80

5

5

4

  1. *Coal price = $1.21/million BTU (about $25/short ton), gas price = $4/million BTU; † includes CO2, SO2, NOx costs (see Table 2); ‡The costs for opertaing a coal unit and a CC are approximately equal at $10/ton CO2
  2. Source: the table is reproduced from the Environmental Finance source cited in the main text