Efficiency

2 - 3 kWh/kg

4 - 5 kWh/kg

45 - 50 000 kWh/kg

comparative figures not available

comparative figures not available

comparative figures not available

comparative figures not available

Cost (US cents/kWh)

OECD 1998 (exc.Japan)

2.5 – 4.5

2.3 – 4.7

2.5 – 4.1

12-20

5

comparative figures not available

comparative figures not available

Cost effective

yes

yes

yes

comparative figures not available

intermittent, cannot meet base load

yes

in a few localities

Ability to meet base load demand

yes

yes

yes

no

no

yes

no

Source reliability and availability

good

good

good

variable daily & weather dependent

variable & weather dependent

seasonal dependence

not many suitable sites

Back-up power

not needed

not needed

not needed

needed

needed

needed

needed

Export dollars for Australia
(end of 2000)

$8.7 billion

$1.9 billion

$.367 billion

some from sale of technology

some from sale of technology

some from sale of technology

unknown

Greenhouse gas emission

1kg of CO₂/kWh

0.5kg of CO₂/kWh

none

none

none

none

none

Emissions to environment

NO_x, SO₂

NO_x, SO₂

steam

nil

nil

nil

nil

Other wastes

ash, flyash

4 milligrams of radioactive spent fuel/kWh

toxic waste from production of solar panels

nil

nil

nil

Other environmental impacts

extensive mining, major transportation,
acid rain

production facilities, pipelines,
acid rain

limited mining and associated tailings storage facilities

on roofs

can be unsightly, noisy, birds fly into rotors

changes in ecosystems through dams flooding large areas