Wind energy pricing is at an all-time low, according to a new report released by the U.S. Department of Energy and prepared by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). The prices offered by wind projects to utility purchasers averaged under 2.5¢/kWh for projects negotiating contracts in 2014, spurring demand for wind energy.
"Wind energy prices--particularly in the central United States--have hit new lows, with utilities selecting wind as the low cost option," Berkeley Lab Senior Scientist Ryan Wiser said. "Moreover, enabled by technology advancements, wind projects are economically viable in a growing number of locations throughout the U.S."
Key findings from the U.S. Department of Energy's latest "Wind Technologies Market Report" include:
Berkeley Lab's contributions to this report were funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
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Additional Information:
The full report ("2014 Wind Technologies Market Report"), a presentation slide deck that summarizes the report, and an Excel workbook that contains much of the data presented in the report, can all be downloaded from: windreport.lbl.gov
The Department of Energy's release on this study is available at: energy.gov/windreport