Cleantech Prices to Remember
Posted November 25th, 2013
Many companies are dependent on natural resources. Costs are skyrocketing, due to global competition and the fact that these resources are finite.
As a result, many companies are seeking out new technologies that can reduce their dependence upon these natural resources but also increase resource efficiencies and productivity and reduce waste and cost.
Cleantech accomplishes these reductions through the more efficient use of energy and resources, which in turn:
- Provides equal or superior performance
- Creates less waste and/or toxicity
- Improves customer profitability through cost reduction and increased revenues.
Investments in clean technology have grown significantly since 2000, and are currently estimated to be between $5-10 billion a year. This level of sustained investment has made a broad array of clean technologies much more price competitive and encourages their adoption by an increasing number of companies.
Even with the start-up costs being (in many cases) higher than costs for traditional energy technology, operational savings can makes these solutions less expensive overall. This allows the reach to spread to everyone.
For example:
1) An LED street light now costs less than $100. The payback period is less than a year, and highlights that, as manufacturing continue to decrease the cost of producing an actual LED light, its retail/wholesale price will fall. As the price falls, previously inaccessible markets open up.
2) The cost of making controllable LEDs more intelligent, by embedding sophisticated computing platforms in lighting fixtures, is moving toward $0.05 per square foot. This is down from more than a dollar, and makes this technology much more financially feasible to municipalities all over the world.
3) The lifetime cost of an electric vehicle is now approximately $45,000. The upfront cost of an electric vehicle is prohibitive for many drivers; however, the lifetime cost of EVs, plug-in hybrids (compared to conventional cars) is only 10% higher. Still, the price of a complete automotive lithium-ion battery pack is expected to fall from approximately $550 to $600 kWh to about $160 per kWh by 2025. Once automakers can acquire batteries at prices below $250 per kWh they could offer electrified vehicles competitively; thereby removing the prohibition of the high upfront cost.
4) It is projected that centralized solar inverter prices are expected to fall 10% annually through 2016, hitting $0.14 per watt by 2016. That will put major pressure on inverter manufacturers, allowing the power of solar energy to reach a broader market.
At Bayside Solutions, we understand cleantech, so if you are looking to hire a fully-qualified green technology (or clean technology) professional, give us a call today. At Bayside Solutions, we can provide you with the people you need.
If you are looking for green tech jobs in the Bay Area, contact us today.
