{"id":393616,"date":"2025-08-07T20:06:15","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T18:06:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=393616"},"modified":"2025-08-07T20:06:34","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T18:06:34","slug":"why-is-cheap-electricity-so-dmn-expensive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=393616","title":{"rendered":"Why Is Cheap Electricity So D@mn Expensive?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"723\" data-attachment-id=\"393625\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=393625\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA-1.jpeg?fit=1280%2C1280&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1280,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA-1.jpeg?fit=723%2C723&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA-1.jpeg?resize=723%2C723&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A whimsical scene depicting two unicorns flying over a landscape of wind turbines and solar panels during sunset.\" class=\"wp-image-393625\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA-1.jpeg?resize=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA-1.jpeg?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA-1.jpeg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA-1.jpeg?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA-1.jpeg?resize=1200%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA-1.jpeg?resize=800%2C800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA-1.jpeg?resize=600%2C600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA-1.jpeg?resize=400%2C400&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA-1.jpeg?resize=200%2C200&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA-1.jpeg?resize=450%2C450&amp;ssl=1 450w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA-1.jpeg?resize=60%2C60&amp;ssl=1 60w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA-1.jpeg?resize=550%2C550&amp;ssl=1 550w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA-1.jpeg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From <a href=\"https:\/\/wattsupwiththat.com\/2025\/08\/06\/why-is-cheap-electricity-so-dmn-expensive\/\">Watts Up With That?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Guest Post by<\/strong><\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/wattsupwiththat.com\/author\/weschenbach\/\">Willis Eschenbach<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019ve been told over and over by very serious people that wind and solar are far cheaper than natural gas and coal \u2026 and yet the more renewables we add to the grid, the more our electricity bills keep going up and up. Ever wonder why that is?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you want to see how to lie with numbers while wearing a suit and a straight face, look no further than&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lazard.com\/media\/uounhon4\/lazards-lcoeplus-june-2025.pdf\">Lazard\u2019s Levelized Cost of Energy<\/a>\u2014LCOE, for those fond of acronyms and allergic to reality. LCOE is the financial world\u2019s favorite energy cost yardstick: strip-mined of context, it tells you\u2014supposedly\u2014how much it costs to generate a megawatt-hour from any shiny new wind turbine, solar panel, or gas plant, averaged over its life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Currently, Lazard says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cDespite facing macro challenges and headwinds, utility-scale solar and onshore wind remain the most cost-effective forms of new-build energy generation on an unsubsidized basis (i.e., without tax subsidies). As such, renewable energy will continue to play a key role in the buildout of new power generation in the U.S. as the lowest-cost and quickest-to-deploy generation.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">See below how much cheaper wind and solar are than gas or coal? Sounds fair. Appears to be precise.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"720\" height=\"378\" data-attachment-id=\"393620\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=393620\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-121.png?fit=720%2C378&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"720,378\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-121.png?fit=720%2C378&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-121.png?resize=720%2C378&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Chart comparing the leveled cost of energy for various renewable energy sources such as solar and wind versus conventional energy sources like gas and coal.\" class=\"wp-image-393620\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-121.png?w=720&amp;ssl=1 720w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-121.png?resize=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In reality? It\u2019s financial alchemy, the spreadsheet version of Schr\u00f6dinger\u2019s Cat: deeply misleading, and possibly dead when you open the box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s the pitch. LCOE claims to offer a one-stop number:&nbsp;<strong>capital, operations, maintenance, fuel, and some sparkling optimism about the plant actually running at the output you wish it did.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What it doesn\u2019t tell you\u2014because the truth is a budget line item nobody wants to explain\u2014is what it costs to actually plug that source into the chaos of a real grid. LCOE blithely ignores grid integration, backup, balancing, transmission upgrades, stabilization, wind turbine blades snapping off, and the nasty habit of solar and wind to give you exactly zero when you need power most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In short, the LCOE measures the cost of what the plant should produce at the fence, not what it costs to deliver real, reliable electricity to your coffee maker when you actually want it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, to avoid lawsuits, in the fine print underneath the above graph Lazard says (<strong>emphasis&nbsp;<\/strong>mine):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Other factors would also have a potentially significant effect on the results contained herein but have not been examined in the scope of this current analysis. These additional factors, among others, may include: recent tariff-related cost impacts; implementation and interpretation of the full scope of the IRA; economic policy, transmission queue reform, network upgrades and other transmission matters, congestion, curtailment or other integration-related costs; permitting or other development costs, unless otherwise noted. This analysis is intended to represent a snapshot in time and utilizes a wide, but not exhaustive, sample set of Industry data. As such, we recognize and acknowledge the likelihood of results outside of our ranges. Therefore,<strong>&nbsp;this analysis is not a forecasting tool and should not be used as such<\/strong>&nbsp;given the complexities of our evolving Industry, grid and resource needs. Except as illustratively sensitized herein,<strong>&nbsp;this analysis does not consider the intermittent nature of selected renewables energy technologies or the related grid impacts of incremental renewable energy deployment.&nbsp;<\/strong>This analysis also does not address potential social and environmental externalities including, for example, the social costs and rate consequences for those who cannot afford distributed generation solutions.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">and:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Variations in fuel prices can materially affect the LCOE of conventional generation technologies, but&nbsp;<strong>direct comparisons to \u201ccompeting\u201d renewable energy generation technologies must take into account issues such as dispatch characteristics (e.g., baseload and\/or dispatchable intermediate capacity vs. peaking or intermittent technologies)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, since Lazard is lying to us, what do we need to make informed decisions? Enter LFSCOE, the Levelized Full System Cost Of Energy\u2014a metric so drearily comprehensive it\u2019s almost honest. LFSCOE stuffs at least most of those hidden extras back into the variable column: the new transmission lines, the battery storage, the backup generators running on gas or coal, the cost of running a grid that isn\u2019t just a science fair project for intermittent electrons. You want to compare wind, solar, nuclear, and gas on a somewhat level field? This is where the rubber finally meets the road, and it\u2019s filled with potholes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are some estimates. The LCOE for utility-scale solar? Lazard currently says $0.024\u2013$0.096 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), which is $24 to $96 per megawatt-hour (MWh)\u2014a figure recited like gospel at every green energy conference. For onshore wind, $0.024\u2013$0.075\/kWh, reported with the certainty of Newtonian physics. But plug these into the grid at scale and watch the magic unravel. When you add the hard system costs\u2014grid balancing, expanded transmission, dedicated backup\u2014real-world LFSCOE numbers emerge, and the story turns bleak for \u201ccheap\u201d renewables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Recent system studies (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.iea.org\/reports\/renewables-2023\">IEA<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/outlooks\/aeo\/pdf\/AEO2023_LCOE_report.pdf\">EIA<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ise.fraunhofer.de\/en\/publications\/studies\">Fraunhofer<\/a>, you name it) peg the true LFSCOE for new onshore wind, at modest penetration levels (say, Germany or Texas): $0.08\u2013$0.14\/kilowatt-hour ($80 \u2013 $140 per megawatt-hour) after you factor in balancing, storage, congestion, and all the rest. Solar PV, barring the magical desert utopia where the sun shines every day, runs $0.07\u2013$0.13\/kWh if you want the lights to actually stay on and the grid not to wobble. Offshore wind, king of bad surprises, lopes in around $0.12-$0.18\/kWh, and someone\u2019s still writing up the bill for winterizing those turbine-servicing fleets of maintenance vessels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, the real-world LFSCOE for new combined-cycle gas\u2014dispatchable, flexible, can be sited anywhere, shows up during the Super Bowl\u2014still hovers around $0.05\u2013$0.075\/kWh, system costs included. Nuclear? If you actually build it on budget (a rare unicorn), $0.09\u2013$0.12\/kWh, but the output\u2019s reliable, the US is easing the regulatory mania which will lower prices, prices are dropping for the new mini-reactors, and you don\u2019t have to build Texas-sized batteries for a cloudy week in February. Here\u2019s an overview of the above numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"720\" height=\"689\" data-attachment-id=\"393622\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=393622\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-123.png?fit=720%2C689&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"720,689\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-123.png?fit=720%2C689&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-123.png?resize=720%2C689&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Bar graph illustrating Levelized Full System Costs of Energy (LFSCOE) for various energy sources including offshore wind, onshore wind, nuclear, solar PV, coal, and gas, with minimum, maximum, and mean costs indicated.\" class=\"wp-image-393622\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-123.png?w=720&amp;ssl=1 720w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-123.png?resize=300%2C287&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lazard\u2019s LCOE, in other words, is a metric for making renewables look good in PowerPoints, Excel dashboards, and glossy investor prospectuses. It\u2019s the swimsuit edition of the energy-cost beauty contest\u2014ignoring the fact that when you take solar and wind home to dinner, you\u2019re also on the hook for their utility bills, therapy sessions, and spare bedrooms for all their unreliable friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It gets shadier. Lazard doesn\u2019t wear the blame alone; the entire consultancy-policymaker-energy-industrial complex has played along. Banks issue green loans, politicians issue green press releases, and somewhere along the line, actual grid operators are left counting the hours until the next rolling blackout\u2014brought to you by&nbsp;<em>\u201crecord renewable penetration.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, does LCOE tell us anything useful?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sure. It tells you what it would cost to build a power plant if you never had to connect it to anything, if electrons were wishful thinking, and if the world were as flat as a spreadsheet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the other hand, if you want to know what you\u2019ll actually pay to keep the grid running\u2014on a steamy Saturday afternoon in August in the Florida Panhandle, when it\u2019s overcast and wind\u2019s at a dead calm, everyone\u2019s aircon sounds like it\u2019s warming up for takeoff, and it\u2019s anyone\u2019s guess if your freezer will survive\u2014you\u2019d better reach for LFSCOE, dust off your reality glasses, and start counting all your hidden costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If energy policy were ever honestly debated, LCOE would be confined to the footnotes, right next to unicorn sightings and promised Powerball payouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But as long as reality is subordinate to narrative and the cost of electrons is calculated by the people selling you the next miracle, the first thing to get blacked out will be the truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sigh \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My very best to all,<br><br>w.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Yeah, You\u2019ve Heard It Before<\/strong>: When you comment,&nbsp;<strong>quote the exact words you are discussing<\/strong>. It\u2019s surprising how much unnecessary friction it avoids.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019ve been told over and over by very serious people that wind and solar are far cheaper than natural gas and coal \u2026 and yet the more renewables we add to the grid, the more our electricity bills keep going up and up. Ever wonder why that is?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":393625,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"Uncover the truth behind rising electricity costs as we explore the flaws of LCOE and introduce the comprehensive LFSCOE metric.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"Why Renewable Energy Costs More Than You Think: LFSCOE Explained","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691820838,691834349,691825242,691818181,691825882,691818728],"class_list":{"0":"post-393616","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-battery-storage","9":"tag-gas-and-coal","10":"tag-lazards-levelized-cost-of-energy-lcoe","11":"tag-renewable-energy","12":"tag-transmission-lines","13":"tag-wind-and-solar","15":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AQMrzHkmhVGQSTaRUf6zIxOj_Z4sTfW3rvfA_VdHsdwKjZ3aqYM86rSVj8oJFHhPQOBQ10BPWSZA6hqp2Lif1gYX2OyhXE2nkRkGMGxeCD_PeYd4WUjV0g8XY59AVIgdBNE4qLMVOj_MsG3dCyJlZjy5pNgTDA-1.jpeg?fit=1280%2C1280&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1EoE","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":423726,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=423726","url_meta":{"origin":393616,"position":0},"title":"False, Everyday States, Prices Show Renewables Aren\u2019t \u2018Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels\u2019","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"29\/01\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Everyday States published an article claiming wind and solar power, but especially solar power, provide cheaper electric power than fossil fuels in various states. Media outlets have repeatedly made similar claims over the past decade, but as with those previous stories, data on power prices and trends in those states\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Everyday States\"","block_context":{"text":"Everyday States","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=everyday-states"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMlzkBuJK4pf6fFo7Grw5coWyKd8cZt4GR48pBs5cIA5XFsfztZPDSeu4aJUVCWQpx-l8RkH-Urz3zxzOHUFl0L03CUHFN2xKr84NWybjdXXGSyD3MvWbTdJ3E2hgCWidl3zTV4D_Itxrq24sUmm2wDbuGO5g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMlzkBuJK4pf6fFo7Grw5coWyKd8cZt4GR48pBs5cIA5XFsfztZPDSeu4aJUVCWQpx-l8RkH-Urz3zxzOHUFl0L03CUHFN2xKr84NWybjdXXGSyD3MvWbTdJ3E2hgCWidl3zTV4D_Itxrq24sUmm2wDbuGO5g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMlzkBuJK4pf6fFo7Grw5coWyKd8cZt4GR48pBs5cIA5XFsfztZPDSeu4aJUVCWQpx-l8RkH-Urz3zxzOHUFl0L03CUHFN2xKr84NWybjdXXGSyD3MvWbTdJ3E2hgCWidl3zTV4D_Itxrq24sUmm2wDbuGO5g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMlzkBuJK4pf6fFo7Grw5coWyKd8cZt4GR48pBs5cIA5XFsfztZPDSeu4aJUVCWQpx-l8RkH-Urz3zxzOHUFl0L03CUHFN2xKr84NWybjdXXGSyD3MvWbTdJ3E2hgCWidl3zTV4D_Itxrq24sUmm2wDbuGO5g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMlzkBuJK4pf6fFo7Grw5coWyKd8cZt4GR48pBs5cIA5XFsfztZPDSeu4aJUVCWQpx-l8RkH-Urz3zxzOHUFl0L03CUHFN2xKr84NWybjdXXGSyD3MvWbTdJ3E2hgCWidl3zTV4D_Itxrq24sUmm2wDbuGO5g.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":249299,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=249299","url_meta":{"origin":393616,"position":1},"title":"Night-Time &#038; Calm Weather: Why Intermittent Wind &#038; Solar Are Driving Power Prices Into Orbit","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"23\/03\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Chaotically intermittent wind and solar are at the heart of surging retail power bills. As wind and solar generation capacity increases, so do power prices. Call it an \u2018immutable law\u2019.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-992.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-992.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-992.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-992.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-992.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":418769,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=418769","url_meta":{"origin":393616,"position":2},"title":"Study Shows Coal\u2019s Importance to Electric Affordability","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"27\/12\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The study by Energy Ventures Analysis\u00a0analyzed\u00a0the annual cost of replacing coal power plants scheduled to retire with six renewable sources of electricity: solar alone, solar firmed by battery energy storage systems (BESS) or natural gas, wind alone, and wind firmed by BESS or natural gas.","rel":"","context":"In \"coal\"","block_context":{"text":"coal","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=coal"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQMheWScm-SJC8QSTAOhl29ykicWbC1QgDlNOeyob8Fsqt2LlbVOYLQ-BgGqIc_6gkiVbXKo5kUOs5hLWt71WPk-1uK5_dwiXwpY7ml4XThF32IIxi6cvyjeVeynvRGIIq2u5_813sIgnICFltjCsv59E6LiQ.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQMheWScm-SJC8QSTAOhl29ykicWbC1QgDlNOeyob8Fsqt2LlbVOYLQ-BgGqIc_6gkiVbXKo5kUOs5hLWt71WPk-1uK5_dwiXwpY7ml4XThF32IIxi6cvyjeVeynvRGIIq2u5_813sIgnICFltjCsv59E6LiQ.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQMheWScm-SJC8QSTAOhl29ykicWbC1QgDlNOeyob8Fsqt2LlbVOYLQ-BgGqIc_6gkiVbXKo5kUOs5hLWt71WPk-1uK5_dwiXwpY7ml4XThF32IIxi6cvyjeVeynvRGIIq2u5_813sIgnICFltjCsv59E6LiQ.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQMheWScm-SJC8QSTAOhl29ykicWbC1QgDlNOeyob8Fsqt2LlbVOYLQ-BgGqIc_6gkiVbXKo5kUOs5hLWt71WPk-1uK5_dwiXwpY7ml4XThF32IIxi6cvyjeVeynvRGIIq2u5_813sIgnICFltjCsv59E6LiQ.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQMheWScm-SJC8QSTAOhl29ykicWbC1QgDlNOeyob8Fsqt2LlbVOYLQ-BgGqIc_6gkiVbXKo5kUOs5hLWt71WPk-1uK5_dwiXwpY7ml4XThF32IIxi6cvyjeVeynvRGIIq2u5_813sIgnICFltjCsv59E6LiQ.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":415050,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=415050","url_meta":{"origin":393616,"position":3},"title":"Electricity prices going up? Green policy is to blame","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"28\/11\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Electricity prices are rising, and Democrats blame President Trump. For years, articles in the media have said that renewables provide the lowest-cost electricity, claiming that wind and solar generators were cheaper than coal, natural gas, and nuclear. But prices are soaring in green energy states that install wind and solar\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"electricity prices\"","block_context":{"text":"electricity prices","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=electricity-prices"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQOREe0R-K5X3QJLk3pNdD1mVDpVMNHlKotyjn5pBUF5DHSkMqD7MbCxGhsm3QFqbZ6yVWzaPf-5uyXfBxEwAAozF-LodreihU07Lo31TSte9R_X2m05wEz8kHeKysGpX_4TIqSAYTCRwbsLQLX5NbJHcXF5Xw-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQOREe0R-K5X3QJLk3pNdD1mVDpVMNHlKotyjn5pBUF5DHSkMqD7MbCxGhsm3QFqbZ6yVWzaPf-5uyXfBxEwAAozF-LodreihU07Lo31TSte9R_X2m05wEz8kHeKysGpX_4TIqSAYTCRwbsLQLX5NbJHcXF5Xw-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQOREe0R-K5X3QJLk3pNdD1mVDpVMNHlKotyjn5pBUF5DHSkMqD7MbCxGhsm3QFqbZ6yVWzaPf-5uyXfBxEwAAozF-LodreihU07Lo31TSte9R_X2m05wEz8kHeKysGpX_4TIqSAYTCRwbsLQLX5NbJHcXF5Xw-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQOREe0R-K5X3QJLk3pNdD1mVDpVMNHlKotyjn5pBUF5DHSkMqD7MbCxGhsm3QFqbZ6yVWzaPf-5uyXfBxEwAAozF-LodreihU07Lo31TSte9R_X2m05wEz8kHeKysGpX_4TIqSAYTCRwbsLQLX5NbJHcXF5Xw-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQOREe0R-K5X3QJLk3pNdD1mVDpVMNHlKotyjn5pBUF5DHSkMqD7MbCxGhsm3QFqbZ6yVWzaPf-5uyXfBxEwAAozF-LodreihU07Lo31TSte9R_X2m05wEz8kHeKysGpX_4TIqSAYTCRwbsLQLX5NbJHcXF5Xw-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":275703,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=275703","url_meta":{"origin":393616,"position":4},"title":"Mythbusting: There\u2019s No Way Wind &#038; Solar Are Cheaper Than Coal &#038;\u00a0Gas","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"26\/08\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The fact that every country that\u2019s increased reliance on wind and solar is suffering rocketing power prices is incontrovertible. And that simple relationship puts paid to the myth that wind and solar are cheaper than coal and gas, principally because it\u2019s heavily subsidised wind and solar that are (occasionally) displacing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Renewables\"","block_context":{"text":"Renewables","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=renewables"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/00721-F2-1-scaled-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/00721-F2-1-scaled-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/00721-F2-1-scaled-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/00721-F2-1-scaled-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/00721-F2-1-scaled-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":415136,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=415136","url_meta":{"origin":393616,"position":5},"title":"Rising Electricity Prices? Blame Green Energy Policies, Not President Trump","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"28\/11\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Electricity prices are rising, and Democrats blame President Trump. For years, articles in the media have said that renewables provide the lowest-cost electricity, claiming that wind and solar generators were cheaper than coal, natural gas, and nuclear. But prices are soaring in green energy states that install wind and solar\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate Policies\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate Policies","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-policies"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQMM711WT9l_oEGlescA5GnHmBcW2BdNchjKbEjzYn3qcdVBksOHsLtj8R1_kei7En5Gfnq2ac_XXbdBLU0_QHdNNOOO4a7OVctJrX68GhbwAqmzWxjFH7KeIU802hI-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQMM711WT9l_oEGlescA5GnHmBcW2BdNchjKbEjzYn3qcdVBksOHsLtj8R1_kei7En5Gfnq2ac_XXbdBLU0_QHdNNOOO4a7OVctJrX68GhbwAqmzWxjFH7KeIU802hI-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQMM711WT9l_oEGlescA5GnHmBcW2BdNchjKbEjzYn3qcdVBksOHsLtj8R1_kei7En5Gfnq2ac_XXbdBLU0_QHdNNOOO4a7OVctJrX68GhbwAqmzWxjFH7KeIU802hI-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQMM711WT9l_oEGlescA5GnHmBcW2BdNchjKbEjzYn3qcdVBksOHsLtj8R1_kei7En5Gfnq2ac_XXbdBLU0_QHdNNOOO4a7OVctJrX68GhbwAqmzWxjFH7KeIU802hI-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQMM711WT9l_oEGlescA5GnHmBcW2BdNchjKbEjzYn3qcdVBksOHsLtj8R1_kei7En5Gfnq2ac_XXbdBLU0_QHdNNOOO4a7OVctJrX68GhbwAqmzWxjFH7KeIU802hI-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/393616","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=393616"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/393616\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":393628,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/393616\/revisions\/393628"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/393625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=393616"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=393616"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=393616"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}