Technology

Size
(MW)

Lead Time
(Years)

First Electricity Date

Overnight
Capital Cost^a
(1996 Dollars
per kW)

Variable
O&M
(1996 Mills
per kWh)

Fixed O&M (1996 Dollars
per kW)

Heat Rate
(Btu per kWh)

Carbon Emissions (Pounds
per MWh)

First-
of-a-Kind

nth-
of-a-Kind

First-
of-a-kind

nth-
of-a-Kind

Pulverized Coal
(95% Scrubber)

400

4

2001

1,079

1,079

3.25

22.5

9,585

9,087

519

Advanced Coal
(IGCC)

380

4

2001

1,833

1,206

1.87

24.2

8,470

7,308

417

Oil/Gas Stream
(Conventional)

300

2

1998

991

991

0.5

30.0

9,500

9,500

296

Combined-Cycle
(Conventional, F-Frame)

250

3

2000

440

440

2.0

15.0

8,030

7,000

250

Combined-Cycle
(Advanced, G- & H-Frame)

400

3

2000

572

400

2.0

13.8

6,985

6,350

198

Combustion Turbine
(Conventional)

160

2

1999

325

325

5.0

4.0

11,900

10,600

330

Combustion Turbine
(Advanced Turbine System)

120

2

1999

458

320

5.0

5.7

9,700

8,000

249

Fuel Cell
(Molten Carbonate)

10

2

2003

2,189

1,440

2.0

14.4

6,000

5,361

167

Nuclear (Evolutionary
Advanced Reactor)

1,300

5

2010

2,356

1,550

0.4

55.0

10,400

10,400

0

Biomass

100

4

2005

2,243

1,476

5.2

43.0

8,911

8,224

0

Geothermal^b

50

4

1996

NA

2,025

0.0

95.7

32,391

NA

0

Municipal Solid Waste^c

30

1

1995

6,403

5,289

5.4

0.0

16,000

16,000

0

Solar Thermal^d

100

3

2000

2,903

^e1,910

0.0

46.0

NA

NA

0

Solar Photovoltaic

5

2

1997

4,556

^e3,185

0.0

9.7

NA

NA

0

Wind

50

3

1997

1,235

965

0.0

25.6

NA

NA

0

^aOvernight capital cost plus project contingencies.
^bBecause geothermal cost and performance parameters are specific for each of the 51 sites in the database, the value shown is an average for the capacity built in 2000.
^cBecause municipal solid waste does not compete with other technologies in the model, these values are used only in calculating the average costs of electricity.
^dSolar thermal is assumed to operate economically only in Electricity Market Module regions 2, 5, and 10-13, that is, West of the Mississippi River, because of its requirement for significant direct, normal insulation.
^eCapital costs for solar technologies are net of (reduced by) the 10 percent investment tax credit.
kW = kilowatt. kWh = kilowatthour. MW = megawatt. MWh = megawatthour. NA = not available. O&M = operations and maintenance costs.
Sources: Most values are derived by the Energy Information Administration, Office of Integrated Analysis and Forecasting from analysis of reports and discussions with various sources from industry, government, and the National Laboratories, with the following specific sources: Solar Thermal—California Energy Commission Memorandum, Technology Characterization for ER94 (August 6, 1993). Photovoltaic—Electric Power Research Institute, Technical Assessment Guide, EPRI-TAG 1993. Municipal Solid Waste—EPRI-TAG 1993.