The Whole System Cost of Renewables
Dramatic cost reductions mean wind and solar can now compete on price with conventional sources of energy in many parts of the world. This turns the spotlight onto the so-called “whole system costs” of integrating renewables into the electricity system, which include backing up intermittent generation and strengthening grids. 
In a report published this week, the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) reviews the latest evidence, finding that these costs are “modest” The report says costs estimates are typically “dramatically lower for flexible systems”. Dr. Rob Gross, UKERC Director adds:
“One of the most important messages from our report is that there’s no single answer to how much does it cost to integrate renewables… The most important thing that policymakers should be thinking about in the energy domain is how to make systems that are smart and flexible and that can take advantage of the low-cost resource that’s available from renewables, and integrate them into the system in a cost-effective way.”
Read the entire article at CarbonBrief.org.
