Isn solar power very expensive compared to coal, gas or oil?
Solar thermal power was expensive compared to fossil-fuel power stations until 2007. Coal prices have risen 5-fold since 2002. Oil has risen to over US$120 per barrel. In South Africa, the gas supply is not entirely stable and Open Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGTs) cost more than ZAR2.50 per kWh to run. With coal at February 2008 levels (ZAR300 per tonne) the Ride the Ray technology costs the same to run as coal. (The calculation runs over 30 years and takes the price of fuel and operational cost of the power station.) This is the coal price parity that is the main tipping point of obstacles to implementing renewable energy. Now that the tipping point has been reached, solar thermal power plant feasibility depends on other factors, like production output from suppliers of the technology.
