White Paper - Fossil Fuel
Using renewable resources to generate electric and thermal energy represents a way to avoid or at least hedge the cost of energy generated from fossil fuels. The most obvious way this is true is that once the system is installed, because the "fuel" - the renewable resource - is free, the energy is free. Most RE systems entail little or no maintenance. Thus the only operating cost is the fuel cost, which in the case of renewable resources is zero. The cost of energy is constant and predictable over the 20-year or more life of the system. Complete paper coming soon.
Links:
General
- Distributed Energy Program: Energy Supplies
- Rising fossil fuel prices boost prospects for renewable energy
- Oil prices climb to Katrina levels
Price & Supply Outlooks
Energy:
- FERC: Winter Energy Outlook 2005-2006
- Energy Information Administration (EIA) - Monthly Energy Review
- EIA - Forecasts and Analysis of Energy Data
Electric:
- U.S. Electric Power Industry Average Retail Price of Electricity by State
- Electric Sales and Revenue
- EIA - Electricity Data, Electric Power Capacity and Fuel Use, Electric Surveys and Analysis
Natural Gas:
- American Gas Foundation Study: Natural Gas Outlook to 2020
- U.S. Natural Gas Prices
- Natural Gas Weekly Update
- February 2006 Natural Gas Monthly
- Natural Gas Annual, 2004
Coal: