Have mentioned some of this before, but will post again to keep track of it.
12/3 – The Million Dollar Way – Minneapolis Airport Solar Project Twice The Quoted Rate for Solar Energy Projects at $7 Million / MW; No Problem – Increased Landing Fees – No One Will Notice –
Two Minnie solar projects on top of parking garages at the airport.
The newer facility:
- 3 MW in 8,705 panels
- $20M cost
- $6.7M / MW
Previous project:
- 1.3 MW
- $8.5M cost
- $6.5M / MW
- 1 MW covering 5 acres –
- $6M estimated cost
- $6M / MW
A consultant to the airport calculated the payback time is 75 years. The panels will have to be replaced two or three times by then.
Here are just a few of the many data points I’ve been accumulating. From 4/5/14:
- $0.75M / MW – natural gas peaker turbines
- $0.88M/ MW – gas turbine
- $2.5M / MW – wind
- $2.0M – $2.5M / MW – wind
Now you know why the photo above is of a super rich dude lighting a cigar with a hundred-dollar bill.