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Wind Capacity Tiers PSB Cost Analysis Subgroup. William Basa Ben Beinecke. JULY 2009. Wind Capacity Tiers Make Sense for VT FIT . Wind Capacity Tiers make sense because wind turbines have economies of scale Cost per kilowatt decreases as capacity increases (negative slope)
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Wind Capacity Tiers PSB Cost Analysis Subgroup William Basa Ben Beinecke JULY 2009
Wind Capacity Tiers Make Sense for VT FIT • Wind Capacity Tiers make sense because wind turbines have economies of scale • Cost per kilowatt decreases as capacity increases (negative slope) • Cost per kilowatt decreases with a non-linear relationship to capacity (logarithmic shape to curve) • Dividing capacity into tiers helps minimize variation in cost • Capacity Tiers should be small at low capacities and large at high capacities • NPS has proposed 3 Tiers above the 15 kW designation: • Small Wind: 16 to 100 kW • Mid-Size Wind: 101-500 kW • Utility Scale: 501-2200 kW • These recommendations largely agree with REV’s proposed tiers • <15kW, 15-150kW, 151-500kW, >501kW
“Small Wind” Tier Based on Existing Definitions American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) Small Wind “defined as having rated capacities 100 kilowatts or less” US Federal Government for Investment Tax Credit/ARRA Eligible small wind property includes wind turbines 100 kW or less in capacity. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)/Department of Energy “Small wind turbine” refers to a turbine less than or equal to 100 kW.”
Methodology • Develop a cost curve based on publicly available information on installed costs of commissioned wind energy projects • Not a perfect approximation of cost at any capacity (not meant to be), but accurate enough to show trend in data (ie economies of scale, decreasing costs) • Test existing tiers (less than or equal to 15 kW; >15 kW) for cost variance • Divide cost curve into tiers based on existing definitions of wind projects and cost variance • Test tiers for cost variance
Logarithmic Trendline Existing Proposal for Single Tier above 15kw
Existing Single Tier Proposal: 16-2200kW Cost Variation ~$4200
NPS Proposed Tier 2: 16-100 kW Cost Variation ~$1400
NPS Proposed Tier 3: 101-500 kW Cost Variation ~$1350
NPS Proposed Tier 4: >501 kW Cost Variation ~$1300