Electricity Generation Technology Cost and Performance Data for 2024

The 2024 Annual Technology Baseline provides current and projected cost and performance data for electricity generation and storage technologies. The dataset, updated by NREL since 2015, includes metrics such as levelized cost of energy, capacity factor, and overnight capital cost. It is cloud-optimized and available in multiple formats including CSV and Excel.

Use Cases

• Model levelized cost of energy (LCOE) projections across technologies like photovoltaic and geothermal using cost and performance parameters.
• Analyze the relationship between capacity factor and overnight capital cost for technologies including battery storage and concentrated solar power.
• Benchmark capital expenditures and operations and maintenance costs for fossil energy with carbon capture and storage against other generation technologies.
• Compare the performance and cost trajectories of hydropower and other renewable technologies based on the structured summary data.

Strengths

• Data is updated annually, with the 2024 version being the most recent release.
• Includes a wide range of electricity generation and storage technologies, from photovoltaic to carbon capture and storage.
• Provides both current and projected data points, supporting forward-looking analysis.
• Offered in multiple accessible formats including structured CSV files and Excel workbooks.

Limitations

• The specific number of data rows and columns is not provided, limiting precise assessment of dataset scale.
• Historical data for 2015-2020 is stored in a separate location, requiring users to merge sources for longitudinal analysis.
• The dataset's geographic scope is not explicitly defined, which may limit analyses requiring regional context.

Provenance

Source

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) under the Department of Energy.

Collection Method

Compiled and presented as part of the Annual Technology Baseline project, with data cloud-optimized in the OEDI data lake since 2021.

Time Range

Includes current (2024) and projected data for electricity generation technologies.

Freshness

Updated annually; last updated in April 2025.