Cost Assumptions

The database of cost assumptions is retrieved from the repository PyPSA/technology-data and then saved to resources/costs.csv. Cost assumptions of previous PyPSA-Eur versions can be restored by using setting retrieve_costs in the config to false.

The config.yaml provides options to choose a reference year (costs: year:) and use a specific version of the repository costs: version:.

It includes cost assumptions for all included technologies for specific years from various sources, namely for

• discount rate,

• lifetime,

• investment (CAPEX),

• fixed operation and maintenance (FOM),

• variable operation and maintenance (VOM),

• fuel costs,

• efficiency, and

• carbon-dioxide intensity.

The given overnight capital costs are annualised to net present costs with a discount rate of \(r\) over the economic lifetime \(n\) using the annuity factor

\[a = \frac{1-(1+r)^{-n}}{r}.\]

Based on the parameters above the marginal_cost and capital_cost of the system components are calculated.

Note

Another great resource for cost assumptions is the cost database from the Danish Energy Agency.

Modifying Cost Assumptions

Some cost assumptions (e.g. marginal cost and capital cost) can be directly overwritten in the config.yaml (cf. Section costs in Configuration).

To change cost assumptions in more detail, modify cost assumptions directly in resources/costs.csv as this is not yet supported through the config file.

You can also build multiple different cost databases. Make a renamed copy of resources/costs.csv (e.g. data/costs-optimistic.csv) and set the variable COSTS=data/costs-optimistic.csv in the Snakefile.

Default Cost Assumptions

technology	year	parameter	value	unit	source
solar-rooftop	2030	discount rate	0.04	per unit	standard for decentral
onwind	2030	lifetime	30	years	DEA https://ens.dk/en/our-services/projections-and-models/technology-data
offwind	2030	lifetime	30	years	DEA https://ens.dk/en/our-services/projections-and-models/technology-data
solar	2030	lifetime	25	years	IEA2010
solar-rooftop	2030	lifetime	25	years	IEA2010
solar-utility	2030	lifetime	25	years	IEA2010
PHS	2030	lifetime	80	years	IEA2010
hydro	2030	lifetime	80	years	IEA2010
ror	2030	lifetime	80	years	IEA2010
OCGT	2030	lifetime	30	years	IEA2010
nuclear	2030	lifetime	45	years	ECF2010 in DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
CCGT	2030	lifetime	30	years	IEA2010
coal	2030	lifetime	40	years	IEA2010
lignite	2030	lifetime	40	years	IEA2010
geothermal	2030	lifetime	40	years	IEA2010
biomass	2030	lifetime	30	years	ECF2010 in DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
oil	2030	lifetime	30	years	ECF2010 in DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
onwind	2030	investment	1040	EUR/kWel	DEA https://ens.dk/en/our-services/projections-and-models/technology-data
offwind	2030	investment	1640	EUR/kWel	DEA https://ens.dk/en/our-services/projections-and-models/technology-data
offwind-ac-station	2030	investment	250	EUR/kWel	DEA https://ens.dk/en/our-services/projections-and-models/technology-data
offwind-ac-connection-submarine	2030	investment	2685	EUR/MW/km	DEA https://ens.dk/en/our-services/projections-and-models/technology-data
offwind-ac-connection-underground	2030	investment	1342	EUR/MW/km	DEA https://ens.dk/en/our-services/projections-and-models/technology-data
offwind-dc-station	2030	investment	400	EUR/kWel	Haertel 2017; assuming one onshore and one offshore node + 13% learning reduction
offwind-dc-connection-submarine	2030	investment	2000	EUR/MW/km	DTU report based on Fig 34 of https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/documents/2014_nsog_report.pdf
offwind-dc-connection-underground	2030	investment	1000	EUR/MW/km	Haertel 2017; average + 13% learning reduction
solar	2030	investment	600	EUR/kWel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
biomass	2030	investment	2209	EUR/kWel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
geothermal	2030	investment	3392	EUR/kWel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
coal	2030	investment	1300	EUR/kWel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348 PC (Advanced/SuperC)
lignite	2030	investment	1500	EUR/kWel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
solar-rooftop	2030	investment	725	EUR/kWel	ETIP PV
solar-utility	2030	investment	425	EUR/kWel	ETIP PV
PHS	2030	investment	2000	EUR/kWel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
hydro	2030	investment	2000	EUR/kWel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
ror	2030	investment	3000	EUR/kWel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
OCGT	2030	investment	400	EUR/kWel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
nuclear	2030	investment	6000	EUR/kWel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
CCGT	2030	investment	800	EUR/kWel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
oil	2030	investment	400	EUR/kWel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
onwind	2030	FOM	2.450549	%/year	DEA https://ens.dk/en/our-services/projections-and-models/technology-data
offwind	2030	FOM	2.304878	%/year	DEA https://ens.dk/en/our-services/projections-and-models/technology-data
solar	2030	FOM	4.166667	%/year	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
solar-rooftop	2030	FOM	2	%/year	ETIP PV
solar-utility	2030	FOM	3	%/year	ETIP PV
biomass	2030	FOM	4.526935	%/year	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
geothermal	2030	FOM	2.358491	%/year	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
coal	2030	FOM	1.923076	%/year	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348 PC (Advanced/SuperC)
lignite	2030	FOM	2.0	%/year	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348 PC (Advanced/SuperC)
oil	2030	FOM	1.5	%/year	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
PHS	2030	FOM	1	%/year	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
hydro	2030	FOM	1	%/year	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
ror	2030	FOM	2	%/year	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
CCGT	2030	FOM	2.5	%/year	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
OCGT	2030	FOM	3.75	%/year	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
onwind	2030	VOM	2.3	EUR/MWhel	DEA https://ens.dk/en/our-services/projections-and-models/technology-data
offwind	2030	VOM	2.7	EUR/MWhel	DEA https://ens.dk/en/our-services/projections-and-models/technology-data
solar	2030	VOM	0.01	EUR/MWhel	RES costs made up to fix curtailment order
coal	2030	VOM	6	EUR/MWhel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348 PC (Advanced/SuperC)
lignite	2030	VOM	7	EUR/MWhel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
CCGT	2030	VOM	4	EUR/MWhel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
OCGT	2030	VOM	3	EUR/MWhel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
nuclear	2030	VOM	8	EUR/MWhel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
gas	2030	fuel	21.6	EUR/MWhth	IEA2011b
uranium	2030	fuel	3	EUR/MWhth	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
oil	2030	VOM	3	EUR/MWhel	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
nuclear	2030	fuel	3	EUR/MWhth	IEA2011b
biomass	2030	fuel	7	EUR/MWhth	IEA2011b
coal	2030	fuel	8.4	EUR/MWhth	IEA2011b
lignite	2030	fuel	2.9	EUR/MWhth	IEA2011b
oil	2030	fuel	50	EUR/MWhth	IEA WEM2017 97USD/boe = http://www.iea.org/media/weowebsite/2017/WEM_Documentation_WEO2017.pdf
PHS	2030	efficiency	0.75	per unit	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
hydro	2030	efficiency	0.9	per unit	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
ror	2030	efficiency	0.9	per unit	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
OCGT	2030	efficiency	0.39	per unit	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
CCGT	2030	efficiency	0.5	per unit	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
biomass	2030	efficiency	0.468	per unit	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
geothermal	2030	efficiency	0.239	per unit	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
nuclear	2030	efficiency	0.337	per unit	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
gas	2030	CO2 intensity	0.187	tCO2/MWth	https://www.eia.gov/environment/emissions/co2_vol_mass.php
coal	2030	efficiency	0.464	per unit	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348 PC (Advanced/SuperC)
lignite	2030	efficiency	0.447	per unit	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348
oil	2030	efficiency	0.393	per unit	DIW DataDoc http://hdl.handle.net/10419/80348 CT
coal	2030	CO2 intensity	0.354	tCO2/MWth	https://www.eia.gov/environment/emissions/co2_vol_mass.php
lignite	2030	CO2 intensity	0.334	tCO2/MWth	https://www.eia.gov/environment/emissions/co2_vol_mass.php
oil	2030	CO2 intensity	0.248	tCO2/MWth	https://www.eia.gov/environment/emissions/co2_vol_mass.php
geothermal	2030	CO2 intensity	0.026	tCO2/MWth	https://www.eia.gov/environment/emissions/co2_vol_mass.php
electrolysis	2030	investment	350	EUR/kWel	Palzer Thesis
electrolysis	2030	FOM	4	%/year	NREL http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy09osti/45873.pdf; budischak2013
electrolysis	2030	lifetime	18	years	NREL http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy09osti/45873.pdf; budischak2013
electrolysis	2030	efficiency	0.8	per unit	NREL http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy09osti/45873.pdf; budischak2013
fuel cell	2030	investment	339	EUR/kWel	NREL http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy09osti/45873.pdf; budischak2013
fuel cell	2030	FOM	3	%/year	NREL http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy09osti/45873.pdf; budischak2013
fuel cell	2030	lifetime	20	years	NREL http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy09osti/45873.pdf; budischak2013
fuel cell	2030	efficiency	0.58	per unit	NREL http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy09osti/45873.pdf; budischak2013 conservative 2020
hydrogen storage tank	2030	investment	11.2	USD/kWh	budischak2013
hydrogen storage tank	2030	lifetime	20	years	budischak2013
hydrogen storage underground	2030	investment	0.5	EUR/kWh	maximum from https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy10osti/46719.pdf
hydrogen storage underground	2030	lifetime	40	years	http://www.acatech.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Baumstruktur_nach_Website/Acatech/root/de/Publikationen/Materialien/ESYS_Technologiesteckbrief_Energiespeicher.pdf
H2 pipeline	2030	investment	267	EUR/MW/km	Welder et al https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.12.156
H2 pipeline	2030	lifetime	40	years	Krieg2012 http://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/136392/files/Energie%26Umwelt_144.pdf
H2 pipeline	2030	FOM	5	%/year	Krieg2012 http://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/136392/files/Energie%26Umwelt_144.pdf
H2 pipeline	2030	efficiency	0.98	per unit	Krieg2012 http://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/136392/files/Energie%26Umwelt_144.pdf
methanation	2030	investment	1000	EUR/kWH2	Schaber thesis
methanation	2030	lifetime	25	years	Schaber thesis
methanation	2030	FOM	3	%/year	Schaber thesis
methanation	2030	efficiency	0.6	per unit	Palzer; Breyer for DAC
helmeth	2030	investment	1000	EUR/kW	no source
helmeth	2030	lifetime	25	years	no source
helmeth	2030	FOM	3	%/year	no source
helmeth	2030	efficiency	0.8	per unit	HELMETH press release
DAC	2030	investment	250	EUR/(tCO2/a)	Fasihi/Climeworks
DAC	2030	lifetime	30	years	Fasihi
DAC	2030	FOM	4	%/year	Fasihi
battery inverter	2030	investment	411	USD/kWel	budischak2013
battery inverter	2030	lifetime	20	years	budischak2013
battery inverter	2030	efficiency	0.9	per unit charge/discharge	budischak2013; Lund and Kempton (2008) http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2008.06.007
battery inverter	2030	FOM	3	%/year	budischak2013
battery storage	2030	investment	192	USD/kWh	budischak2013
battery storage	2030	lifetime	15	years	budischak2013
decentral air-sourced heat pump	2030	investment	1050	EUR/kWth	HP; Palzer thesis
decentral air-sourced heat pump	2030	lifetime	20	years	HP; Palzer thesis
decentral air-sourced heat pump	2030	FOM	3.5	%/year	Palzer thesis
decentral air-sourced heat pump	2030	efficiency	3	per unit	default for costs
decentral air-sourced heat pump	2030	discount rate	0.04	per unit	Palzer thesis
decentral ground-sourced heat pump	2030	investment	1400	EUR/kWth	Palzer thesis
decentral ground-sourced heat pump	2030	lifetime	20	years	Palzer thesis
decentral ground-sourced heat pump	2030	FOM	3.5	%/year	Palzer thesis
decentral ground-sourced heat pump	2030	efficiency	4	per unit	default for costs
decentral ground-sourced heat pump	2030	discount rate	0.04	per unit	Palzer thesis
central air-sourced heat pump	2030	investment	700	EUR/kWth	Palzer thesis
central air-sourced heat pump	2030	lifetime	20	years	Palzer thesis
central air-sourced heat pump	2030	FOM	3.5	%/year	Palzer thesis
central air-sourced heat pump	2030	efficiency	3	per unit	default for costs
retrofitting I	2030	discount rate	0.04	per unit	Palzer thesis
retrofitting I	2030	lifetime	50	years	Palzer thesis
retrofitting I	2030	FOM	1	%/year	Palzer thesis
retrofitting I	2030	investment	50	EUR/m2/fraction reduction	Palzer thesis
retrofitting II	2030	discount rate	0.04	per unit	Palzer thesis
retrofitting II	2030	lifetime	50	years	Palzer thesis
retrofitting II	2030	FOM	1	%/year	Palzer thesis
retrofitting II	2030	investment	250	EUR/m2/fraction reduction	Palzer thesis
water tank charger	2030	efficiency	0.9	per unit	HP
water tank discharger	2030	efficiency	0.9	per unit	HP
decentral water tank storage	2030	investment	860	EUR/m3	IWES Interaktion
decentral water tank storage	2030	FOM	1	%/year	HP
decentral water tank storage	2030	lifetime	20	years	HP
decentral water tank storage	2030	discount rate	0.04	per unit	Palzer thesis
central water tank storage	2030	investment	30	EUR/m3	IWES Interaktion
central water tank storage	2030	FOM	1	%/year	HP
central water tank storage	2030	lifetime	40	years	HP
decentral resistive heater	2030	investment	100	EUR/kWhth	Schaber thesis
decentral resistive heater	2030	lifetime	20	years	Schaber thesis
decentral resistive heater	2030	FOM	2	%/year	Schaber thesis
decentral resistive heater	2030	efficiency	0.9	per unit	Schaber thesis
decentral resistive heater	2030	discount rate	0.04	per unit	Palzer thesis
central resistive heater	2030	investment	100	EUR/kWhth	Schaber thesis
central resistive heater	2030	lifetime	20	years	Schaber thesis
central resistive heater	2030	FOM	2	%/year	Schaber thesis
central resistive heater	2030	efficiency	0.9	per unit	Schaber thesis
decentral gas boiler	2030	investment	175	EUR/kWhth	Palzer thesis
decentral gas boiler	2030	lifetime	20	years	Palzer thesis
decentral gas boiler	2030	FOM	2	%/year	Palzer thesis
decentral gas boiler	2030	efficiency	0.9	per unit	Palzer thesis
decentral gas boiler	2030	discount rate	0.04	per unit	Palzer thesis
central gas boiler	2030	investment	63	EUR/kWhth	Palzer thesis
central gas boiler	2030	lifetime	22	years	Palzer thesis
central gas boiler	2030	FOM	1	%/year	Palzer thesis
central gas boiler	2030	efficiency	0.9	per unit	Palzer thesis
decentral CHP	2030	lifetime	25	years	HP
decentral CHP	2030	investment	1400	EUR/kWel	HP
decentral CHP	2030	FOM	3	%/year	HP
decentral CHP	2030	discount rate	0.04	per unit	Palzer thesis
central CHP	2030	lifetime	25	years	HP
central CHP	2030	investment	650	EUR/kWel	HP
central CHP	2030	FOM	3	%/year	HP
decentral solar thermal	2030	discount rate	0.04	per unit	Palzer thesis
decentral solar thermal	2030	FOM	1.3	%/year	HP
decentral solar thermal	2030	investment	270000	EUR/1000m2	HP
decentral solar thermal	2030	lifetime	20	years	HP
central solar thermal	2030	FOM	1.4	%/year	HP
central solar thermal	2030	investment	140000	EUR/1000m2	HP
central solar thermal	2030	lifetime	20	years	HP
HVAC overhead	2030	investment	400	EUR/MW/km	Hagspiel
HVAC overhead	2030	lifetime	40	years	Hagspiel
HVAC overhead	2030	FOM	2	%/year	Hagspiel
HVDC overhead	2030	investment	400	EUR/MW/km	Hagspiel
HVDC overhead	2030	lifetime	40	years	Hagspiel
HVDC overhead	2030	FOM	2	%/year	Hagspiel
HVDC submarine	2030	investment	2000	EUR/MW/km	DTU report based on Fig 34 of https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/documents/2014_nsog_report.pdf
HVDC submarine	2030	lifetime	40	years	Hagspiel
HVDC submarine	2030	FOM	2	%/year	Hagspiel
HVDC inverter pair	2030	investment	150000	EUR/MW	Hagspiel
HVDC inverter pair	2030	lifetime	40	years	Hagspiel
HVDC inverter pair	2030	FOM	2	%/year	Hagspiel