The photo is sourced from sulzer.com
Gas-fired TPPs together with wind and solar generators are the most common types of power plants undergoing construction in the United States. According to the EIA, the share of these energy sources among new generating capacities put into operation in 2021 reached 91%, with overall investments in the construction of gas-fired, wind and solar power plants rising by 10% (to $50.8 billion).
The cost of solar panels varies depending on the materials used and panel design. For instance, the unit cost of fixed-tilt panels made of crystalline silicon stood at $2,047 per kW in 2021, whereas cadmium telluride panels equipped with tracking systems and capable of changing their angle of inclination depending on the time of day cost $1,626 per kW. Meanwhile, the unit cost of wind generators is strongly dependent on their aggregate capacity: units with an aggregate capacity of up to 100 megawatts (MW) cost $1,949 per kW while those with a capacity of up to 200 MW and up to 300 MW cost $1,464 per kW and $1,382 per kW, respectively.
Finally, the cost of gas-fired TPPs varies depending on the power generation technology. For instance, the unit cost of combined cycle plants equipped with steam and gas turbine engines is $1,252 per kW, while conventional gas turbines cost $512 per kW and gas engines used to generate electricity cost $1,323 per kW.
Gas-fired TPPs are the most common source of electricity in the United States. According to the Ember research centre, gas-fired TPPs accounted for 39% of the country’s power output in 2022, with wind and solar generators responsible for a total of 15%. The remaining 46% came from coal-fired (19%), nuclear (18%) and hydroelectric power plants (6%), as well as units powered by biomass, fuel oil and diesel fuel (3% in total).
