NREL Releases First Annual Technology Baseline (ATB)
of Cost and Performance Data

July 17, 2015

NREL's Annual Technology Baseline: Utility Scale PV Capital Costs Graph

NREL's Annual Technology Baseline: Utility Scale PV Levelized Cost of Energy Graph

Consistent cost and performance data for electricity generation technologies can be difficult to find and might change over time for certain technologies. With the Annual Technology Baseline (ATB), the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) provides an organized dataset that was reviewed by internal and external experts. This first year effort, supported by the Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), presents current and projected technology cost and performance information for renewable generation technologies from the laboratory's analysts and for conventional technologies from the Energy Information Administration. This work leverages and continues significant activity already being supported by EERE for individual technologies. NREL's goal is to revise and refine this information in annual releases using the best publically available information.

The ATB includes the following electricity generation technologies:

• Land-based Wind
• Offshore Wind
• Utility-scale Solar PV
• Concentrating Solar Power
• Geothermal Power
• Hydropower Plants (upgrades to existing facilities, powering non-powered dams, and new stream-reach development)
• Conventional Coal
• Coal with Carbon Capture and Sequestration
• Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Coal
• Natural Gas Combustion Turbines
• Natural Gas Combined Cycle
• Conventional Biopower
• Nuclear

The ATB consists of the following products, designed to be accessible to analysts:

• An ATB workbook documenting detailed cost and performance data (both current and projected) for both renewable and conventional technologies.
• An ATB summary presentation describing each of the technologies and providing additional context for their treatment in the workbook.

These products can be accessed at http://www.nrel.gov/analysis/data_tech_baseline.html

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The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) aims to provide credible, objective data and insights that inform policy and investment decisions as energy efficient and renewable energy technologies advance from concept to commercial application. NREL analysis encompasses a broad range of scientific research and reporting activity in support of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), NREL programs and initiatives, and the analysis community.