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Comment by Gwypaas | Hacker News Reader

With the $120 - 200/MWh nuclear costs, which is the averege price they require all year around, you can do many completely insane things from an energy efficiency perspective and still come out ahead.

https://www.lazard.com/research-insights/levelized-cost-of-e...

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Lazard's MWh costs are incorrect for nuclear.

Olkiluoto 3, Finlands newest nuclear reactor sells electricity for 40€/MWh. Even if you double that, to account for the French subsidy, you only end up at $86/MWh after currency conversion.

The same Lazard research report also states that: "Combustion turbines for 100% hydrogen are not commercially available today".

Given that you have to produce something other than hydrogen to produce clean energy this drives down efficiency further.

So, what are these completely insane things that you can do with renewable energy sources and still come out ahead?

I can confidently tell you that OL3 does not cost €40/MWh. The marginal cost for paid off nuclear plants are €25-40/MWh. The €13B construction cost ends up being more than €86/MWh, unless you decide to amortize it over 80 years or something insane.

> The same Lazard research report also states that: "Combustion turbines for 100% hydrogen are not commercially available today".

50% hydrogen already in use:

https://hydrogen-central.com/ge-new-gas-turbine-help-smooth-...

A DOE grant to get to 100% hydrogen:

https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/ge-doe-accelerating-t...

No need to let perfect be the enemy of good. Make synthetic methane to get the hydrogen blend needed.

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