An Assessment of the Economics of Future Electric Power Generation Options and the Implications for Fusion - Revision 1
This study examines the potential range of electric power costs for some major alternatives to fusion electric power generation when it is ultimately deployed in the middle of the 21st century and, thus, offers a perspective on the cost levels that fusion must achieve to be competitive. The alternative technologies include coal burning, coal gasification, natural gas, nucle& fission, and renewable energy. The cost of electricity (COE) from the alternatives to fusion should be in a 30-53 mills/kWh (1999 dollars) range if carbon sequestration is not needed, 30-61 mills/kWh if sequestration is required, or as high as 83 mills/kWh for the worst-case scenario for cost uncertainty. The reference COE range for fusion was estimated at 65-102 mills/kWh for l- to 1.3-GW(e) scale power plants. Fusion costs will have tqbe, reduced and/or alternative concepts devised before fusion will be competitive with the alternatives for the future production of electricity. Fortunately, there are routes to achieve this goal.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-96OR22464
- OSTI ID:
- 753745
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/TM-1999/243/R1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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