Annual Technology Baseline for Electricity Generation Cost and Performance

The dataset presents the 2017 Annual Technology Baseline (ATB) from NREL, containing cost and performance data for electricity generation technologies. It includes current and projected data for renewable and conventional technologies, with updates for offshore wind and project financing market conditions.

Use Cases

• Analyze projected cost trends for technologies like offshore wind across its 15 technical resource groups.
• Compare levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and overnight capital cost (CAPEX) between renewable and conventional generation technologies.
• Model project financing under different market conditions, such as current versus long-term historical scenarios.
• Benchmark technology performance metrics like capacity factor and fixed operational costs for technologies including photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power.

Strengths

• Data is compiled and updated annually by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), a leading research institution.
• Includes both current and projected cost and performance data, enabling forward-looking analysis.
• Covers a wide range of electricity generation technologies, including hydropower, geothermal, wind, and photovoltaic systems.
• Provides two distinct options for representing project financing market conditions, adding analytical depth.

Limitations

• The specific data structure, column definitions, and row counts are not provided in the input, limiting immediate usability.
• The dataset is from 2017, so projections and some cost data may be outdated for current-year analysis.
• The primary file format is listed as BIN, which may require specific software or tools to access and interpret.

Provenance

Source

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), part of the U.S. Department of Energy.

Collection Method

Compiled and presented annually in a detailed spreadsheet, with data derived from research and analysis.

Time Range

2017, with data including current values and future projections.

Freshness

The dataset itself is from 2017, though the platform record was last updated in March 2026.

Geography

Primarily focused on the United States, as indicated by associated tags.