Electricity Generation

Chris Ruane
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his most recent estimate is of the average cost per unit of electricity generated from each type of renewable source.

Mr. Mike O'Brien
The generation cost of different technologies are measured in terms of levelised costs and are presented on a £ per megawatt hour basis. The Government have carried out analysis on generation costs in some detail in recent years to inform policy decisions. Some of these estimates have been published as part of the Energy Review (2006). 2008 estimates suggest the following indicative costs (£/MWh) associated with generating lMWh of electricity from renewable sources:

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|                     |£/MWh  |
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|Onshore wind (80MW)  |70     |
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|Offshore wind (100MW)|92     |
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|Biomass regular      |80-90  |
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|Biomass energy crop  |110-120|
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|Biomass CHP          |80-90  |
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|Wave                 |160-190|
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|Tidal stream         |150-180|
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|Tidal range          |130-160|
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|Biowaste             |90-110 |
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|Biogas               |170-200|
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