Cost Assumptions

The database of cost assumptions is stored in model_file.xlsx.

It includes a sheet costs which specifies the 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 costs sheet of model_file.xlsx as this is not yet supported through the config file.

You can also build multiple different cost databases for different scenarios. Copy all costs in the costs sheet model_file.xlsx and paste them in an empty row below the existing data and give the copied data a new scenario name (e.g. copy and paste costs to new rows and name the scenario “least_cost”).

Default Cost Assumptions

scenario	technology	parameter	2019	2020	2025	2030	2035	2040	2045	2050	unit
csir_ambitions_2019	coal	CO2 intensity	0.354	0.354	0.354	0.354	0.354	0.354	0.354	0.354	tCO2/MWth
csir_ambitions_2019	CSP	CO2 intensity	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	tCO2/MWth
csir_ambitions_2019	diesel	CO2 intensity	0.248	0.248	0.248	0.248	0.248	0.248	0.248	0.248	tCO2/MWth
csir_ambitions_2019	gas	CO2 intensity	0.187	0.187	0.187	0.187	0.187	0.187	0.187	0.187	tCO2/MWth
csir_ambitions_2019	solar	discount rate	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	solar-rooftop	discount rate	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	solar-utility	discount rate	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	biomass	heat_rate	12.386	12.386	12.386	12.386	12.386	12.386	12.386	12.386	GJ/MWh
csir_ambitions_2019	CCGT	heat_rate	7.395	7.395	7.395	7.395	7.395	7.395	7.395	7.395	GJ/MWh
csir_ambitions_2019	coal	heat_rate	9.812	9.812	9.812	9.812	9.812	9.812	9.812	9.812	GJ/MWh
csir_ambitions_2019	CSP	heat_rate									GJ/MWh
csir_ambitions_2019	diesel	heat_rate	11.519	11.519	11.519	11.519	11.519	11.519	11.519	11.519	GJ/MWh
csir_ambitions_2019	geothermal	heat_rate									GJ/MWh
csir_ambitions_2019	nuclear	heat_rate	10.657	10.657	10.657	10.657	10.657	10.657	10.657	10.657	GJ/MWh
csir_ambitions_2019	OCGT	heat_rate	11.519	11.519	11.519	11.519	11.519	11.519	11.519	11.519	GJ/MWh
csir_ambitions_2019	battery inverter	efficiency	89%	89%	89%	89%	89%	89%	89%	89%	per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	biomass	efficiency	29%	29%	29%	29%	29%	29%	29%	29%	per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	CCGT	efficiency	49%	49%	49%	49%	49%	49%	49%	49%	per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	coal	efficiency	37%	37%	37%	37%	37%	37%	37%	37%	per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	CSP	efficiency									per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	diesel	efficiency	31%	31%	31%	31%	31%	31%	31%	31%	per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	geothermal	efficiency									per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	nuclear	efficiency	34%	34%	34%	34%	34%	34%	34%	34%	per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	OCGT	efficiency	31%	31%	31%	31%	31%	31%	31%	31%	per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	hydro	efficiency	90%	90%	90%	90%	90%	90%	90%	90%	per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	onwind	efficiency									per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	PHS	efficiency	75%	75%	75%	75%	75%	75%	75%	75%	per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	ror	efficiency	90%	90%	90%	90%	90%	90%	90%	90%	per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	solar	efficiency									per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	solar-rooftop	efficiency									per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	solar-utility	efficiency									per unit
csir_ambitions_2019	battery inverter	FOM	697	697	697	697	697	697	697	697	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	biomass	FOM	2028	2028	2028	2028	2028	2028	2028	2028	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	CCGT	FOM	203	203	203	203	203	203	203	203	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	coal	FOM	1133	1133	1133	1133	1133	1133	1133	1133	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	CSP	FOM	1203	1203	1203	1203	1203	1203	1203	1203	%/year
csir_ambitions_2019	diesel	FOM	2.6	2.6	2.6	2.6	2.6	2.6	2.6	2.6	%/year
csir_ambitions_2019	HVAC overhead	FOM	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	%/year
csir_ambitions_2019	HVDC inverter pair	FOM	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	%/year
csir_ambitions_2019	HVDC overhead	FOM	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	%/year
csir_ambitions_2019	HVDC submarine	FOM	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	%/year
csir_ambitions_2019	hydro	FOM	484	484	484	484	484	484	484	484	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	nuclear	FOM	1187	1187	1187	1187	1187	1187	1187	1187	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	OCGT	FOM	196	196	196	196	196	196	196	196	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	onwind	FOM	742	742	742	742	742	742	742	742	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	PHS	FOM	222	222	222	222	222	222	222	222	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	ror	FOM	484	484	484	484	484	484	484	484	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	solar	FOM	328	328	328	328	328	328	328	328	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	solar-rooftop	FOM	328	328	328	328	328	328	328	328	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	solar-utility	FOM	328	328	328	328	328	328	328	328	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	biomass	fuel	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	R/GJ
csir_ambitions_2019	coal	fuel	33.8	33.8	33.8	33.8	33.8	33.8	33.8	33.8	R/GJ
csir_ambitions_2019	CSP	fuel	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	R/GJ
csir_ambitions_2019	diesel	fuel	277.8	277.8	277.8	277.8	277.8	277.8	277.8	277.8	R/GJ
csir_ambitions_2019	gas	fuel	150	150	150	150	150	150	150	150	R/GJ
csir_ambitions_2019	nuclear	fuel	9.1	9.1	9.1	9.1	9.1	9.1	9.1	9.1	R/GJ
csir_ambitions_2019	uranium	fuel									R/GJ
csir_ambitions_2019	battery inverter	investment	12286.03	11397.08	8587.84	7192.40	6742.88	6293.35	5843.83	5394.30	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	battery storage	investment	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	ZAR/kWh
csir_ambitions_2019	biomass	investment	52708	52708	52708	52708	52708	52708	52708	52708	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	CCGT	investment	12199	12199	12199	12199	12199	12199	12199	12199	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	coal	investment	48188	48188	48188	48188	48188	48188	48188	48188	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	CSP	investment	126013	120572	98228	83708	74928	70234	67922	66343	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	diesel	investment	400	400	400	400	400	400	400	400	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	HVAC overhead	investment	6000	6000	6000	6000	6000	6000	6000	6000	ZAR/MW/km
csir_ambitions_2019	HVDC inverter pair	investment									ZAR/MW
csir_ambitions_2019	HVDC overhead	investment	6000	6000	6000	6000	6000	6000	6000	6000	ZAR/MW/km
csir_ambitions_2019	HVDC submarine	investment									ZAR/MW/km
csir_ambitions_2019	hydro	investment	74340	74340	74340	74340	74340	74340	74340	74340	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	nuclear	investment	94145	93964	93057	92150	91968	91968	91968	91968	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	OCGT	investment	10754	10754	10754	10754	10754	10754	10754	10754	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	onwind	investment	14691	14431	13131	11831	11190	10544	9893	9238	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	PHS	investment	30777	30777	30777	30777	30777	30777	30777	30777	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	ror	investment	74340	74340	74340	74340	74340	74340	74340	74340	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	solar	investment	8746	8206	6671	5136	4402	3844	3506	3238	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	solar-rooftop	investment	8746	8206	6671	5136	4402	3844	3506	3238	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	solar-utility	investment	8746	8206	6671	5136	4402	3844	3506	3238	ZAR/kWel
csir_ambitions_2019	battery inverter	lifetime	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	years
csir_ambitions_2019	battery storage	lifetime	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	years
csir_ambitions_2019	biomass	lifetime	30	30	30	30	30	30	30	30	years
csir_ambitions_2019	CCGT	lifetime	30	30	30	30	30	30	30	30	years
csir_ambitions_2019	coal	lifetime	50	50	50	50	50	50	50	50	years
csir_ambitions_2019	CSP	lifetime	30	30	30	30	30	30	30	30	years
csir_ambitions_2019	diesel	lifetime	30	30	30	30	30	30	30	30	years
csir_ambitions_2019	HVAC overhead	lifetime	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	years
csir_ambitions_2019	HVDC inverter pair	lifetime	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	years
csir_ambitions_2019	HVDC overhead	lifetime	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	years
csir_ambitions_2019	HVDC submarine	lifetime	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	years
csir_ambitions_2019	hydro	lifetime	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	years
csir_ambitions_2019	nuclear	lifetime	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	years
csir_ambitions_2019	OCGT	lifetime	30	30	30	30	30	30	30	30	years
csir_ambitions_2019	onwind	lifetime	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	years
csir_ambitions_2019	PHS	lifetime	50	50	50	50	50	50	50	50	years
csir_ambitions_2019	ror	lifetime	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	years
csir_ambitions_2019	solar	lifetime	25	25	25	25	25	25	25	25	years
csir_ambitions_2019	solar-rooftop	lifetime	25	25	25	25	25	25	25	25	years
csir_ambitions_2019	solar-utility	lifetime	25	25	25	25	25	25	25	25	years
csir_ambitions_2019	CCGT	VOM	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	ZAR/MWhel
csir_ambitions_2019	coal	VOM	98	98	98	98	98	98	98	98	ZAR/MWhel
csir_ambitions_2019	CSP	VOM	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	ZAR/MWhel
csir_ambitions_2019	diesel	VOM	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	EUR/MWhel
csir_ambitions_2019	nuclear	VOM	45	45	45	45	45	45	45	45	ZAR/MWhel
csir_ambitions_2019	OCGT	VOM	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	ZAR/MWhel
csir_ambitions_2019	onwind	VOM	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	0.01	ZAR/MWhel
csir_ambitions_2019	solar	VOM	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	ZAR/MWhel