cost

Math of Gas Prices

I thought some Excel spreadsheets might be of use to you. Obviously, there is a lot besides the cost of gasoline in owning an automobile, but we as a society have a fixation on gas prices, and they seem to effect out behavior a lot.

The Cost to Drive calculator can help you with specific trips.

The cost per mile.

miles per gallon 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33
$1.50 $0.10 $0.09 $0.08 $0.07 $0.07 $0.06 $0.06 $0.05 $0.05 $0.05
$2.00 $0.13 $0.12 $0.11 $0.10 $0.09 $0.08 $0.07 $0.07 $0.06 $0.06
$2.50 $0.17 $0.15 $0.13 $0.12 $0.11 $0.10 $0.09 $0.09 $0.08 $0.08
$3.00 $0.20 $0.18 $0.16 $0.14 $0.13 $0.12 $0.11 $0.10 $0.10 $0.09
$3.50 $0.23 $0.21 $0.18 $0.17 $0.15 $0.14 $0.13 $0.12 $0.11 $0.11
$4.00 $0.27 $0.24 $0.21 $0.19 $0.17 $0.16 $0.15 $0.14 $0.13 $0.12
$4.50 $0.30 $0.26 $0.24 $0.21 $0.20 $0.18 $0.17 $0.16 $0.15 $0.14
$5.00 $0.33 $0.29 $0.26 $0.24 $0.22 $0.20 $0.19 $0.17 $0.16 $0.15

One Car

The cost per 100 miles.

miles per gallon 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33
$1.50 $10.00 $8.82 $7.89 $7.14 $6.52 $6.00 $5.56 $5.17 $4.84 $4.55
$2.00 $13.33 $11.76 $10.53 $9.52 $8.70 $8.00 $7.41 $6.90 $6.45 $6.06
$2.50 $16.67 $14.71 $13.16 $11.90 $10.87 $10.00 $9.26 $8.62 $8.06 $7.58
$3.00 $20.00 $17.65 $15.79 $14.29 $13.04 $12.00 $11.11 $10.34 $9.68 $9.09
$3.50 $23.33 $20.59 $18.42 $16.67 $15.22 $14.00 $12.96 $12.07 $11.29 $10.61
$4.00 $26.67 $23.53 $21.05 $19.05 $17.39 $16.00 $14.81 $13.79 $12.90 $12.12
$4.50 $30.00 $26.47 $23.68 $21.43 $19.57 $18.00 $16.67 $15.52 $14.52 $13.64
$5.00 $33.33 $29.41 $26.32 $23.81 $21.74 $20.00 $18.52 $17.24 $16.13 $15.15

Patroon Island Bridge

The cost per 500 miles.

miles per gallon 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33
price 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33
$1.50 $50.00 $44.12 $39.47 $35.71 $32.61 $30.00 $27.78 $25.86 $24.19 $22.73
$2.00 $66.67 $58.82 $52.63 $47.62 $43.48 $40.00 $37.04 $34.48 $32.26 $30.30
$2.50 $83.33 $73.53 $65.79 $59.52 $54.35 $50.00 $46.30 $43.10 $40.32 $37.88
$3.00 $100.00 $88.24 $78.95 $71.43 $65.22 $60.00 $55.56 $51.72 $48.39 $45.45
$3.50 $116.67 $102.94 $92.11 $83.33 $76.09 $70.00 $64.81 $60.34 $56.45 $53.03
$4.00 $133.33 $117.65 $105.26 $95.24 $86.96 $80.00 $74.07 $68.97 $64.52 $60.61
$4.50 $150.00 $132.35 $118.42 $107.14 $97.83 $90.00 $83.33 $77.59 $72.58 $68.18
$5.00 $166.67 $147.06 $131.58 $119.05 $108.70 $100.00 $92.59 $86.21 $80.65 $75.76

Lines of Road

The impact of a change in gas prices.

miles per gallon 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33
$0.10 $3.33 $2.94 $2.63 $2.38 $2.17 $2.00 $1.85 $1.72 $1.61 $1.52
$0.20 $6.67 $5.88 $5.26 $4.76 $4.35 $4.00 $3.70 $3.45 $3.23 $3.03
$0.30 $10.00 $8.82 $7.89 $7.14 $6.52 $6.00 $5.56 $5.17 $4.84 $4.55
$0.40 $13.33 $11.76 $10.53 $9.52 $8.70 $8.00 $7.41 $6.90 $6.45 $6.06
$0.50 $16.67 $14.71 $13.16 $11.90 $10.87 $10.00 $9.26 $8.62 $8.06 $7.58
$0.60 $20.00 $17.65 $15.79 $14.29 $13.04 $12.00 $11.11 $10.34 $9.68 $9.09
$0.70 $23.33 $20.59 $18.42 $16.67 $15.22 $14.00 $12.96 $12.07 $11.29 $10.61
$0.80 $26.67 $23.53 $21.05 $19.05 $17.39 $16.00 $14.81 $13.79 $12.90 $12.12
$0.90 $30.00 $26.47 $23.68 $21.43 $19.57 $18.00 $16.67 $15.52 $14.52 $13.64
$1.00 $33.33 $29.41 $26.32 $23.81 $21.74 $20.00 $18.52 $17.24 $16.13 $15.15
$1.10 $36.67 $32.35 $28.95 $26.19 $23.91 $22.00 $20.37 $18.97 $17.74 $16.67
$1.20 $40.00 $35.29 $31.58 $28.57 $26.09 $24.00 $22.22 $20.69 $19.35 $18.18
$1.30 $43.33 $38.24 $34.21 $30.95 $28.26 $26.00 $24.07 $22.41 $20.97 $19.70
$1.40 $46.67 $41.18 $36.84 $33.33 $30.43 $28.00 $25.93 $24.14 $22.58 $21.21
$1.50 $50.00 $44.12 $39.47 $35.71 $32.61 $30.00 $27.78 $25.86 $24.19 $22.73

New Power Plants Economics Compared

A local environmentalist put together a spreadsheet with the data from the November 2010 Updated Capital Cost Estimates for Electricity Generation Plants. It shows why most new power plants constructed in recent years use either natural gas or wind, as by far they are the most cost-effective fuels. Evens with even a modest carbon regulations, new coal plants will become the exception and not a rule. It seems with the current economics, coal plants already seem like a waste of money and non-economic.

Note: Power Plants come in all different sizes. This analysis normalizes plant costs down to lifespan cost per kW during the plant’s lifespan, typically around 75 years. Therefore, a 500 MW Natural Gas: Advanced Combustion Turbine (CT) Plant based on the table, operating at full capacity would cost = $671.70 x 500,000 = $335 million over it’s lifespan.

Turbine

Less Expensive Types of New Plants.

Fuel – Plant Type Capital Cost
(per kW/lifespan)
Fixed Operating &
Maintenance Cost
(per kW/lifespan)
Total Costs
(per kW/lifespan)
Versus Average
New Plant Types
Natural Gas: Advanced CT $665 $6.70 $671.70 -84.13%
Natural Gas: Conventional CT $974 $6.98 $980.98 -76.82%
Natural Gas: Conventional NGCC $978 $14.39 $992.39 -76.55%
Natural Gas: Advanced NGCC $1,003 $14.62 $1,017.62 -75.96%
Natural Gas: Advanced NGCC with CCS $2,060 $30.25 $2,090.25 -50.62%
Onshore Wind $2,438 $28.07 $2,466.07 -41.74%
Coal: Dual Unit Advanced PC $2,844 $29.67 $2,873.67 -32.11%
Hydro-electric $3,076 $13.44 $3,089.44 -27.01%
Coal: Single Unit Advanced PC $3,167 $35.97 $3,202.97 -24.33%
Coal: Dual Unit IGCC $3,221 $48.90 $3,269.90 -22.75%
Coal: Single Unit IGCC $3,565 $59.23 $3,624.23 -14.38%
Biomass BFB $3,860 $100.50 $3,960.50 -6.43%
Geothermal: Binary $4,141 $84.27 $4,225.27 -0.18%

Rensselaer Besicorp Power Plant

More Expensive Types of New Plants.

Fuel – Plant Type Capital Cost
(per kW/lifespan)
Fixed Operating &
Maintenance Cost
(per kW/lifespan)
Total Costs
(per kW/lifespan)
Versus Average
New Plant Types
Coal: Dual Unit Advanced PC with CCS $4,579 $63.21 $4,642.21 9.68%
Solar: Thermal $4,692 $64.00 $4,756.00 12.36%
Solar: Large Photovoltaic $4,755 $16.70 $4,771.70 12.73%
Coal: Single Unit Advanced PC with CCS $5,099 $76.62 $5,175.62 22.28%
Nuclear: Dual Unit $5,335 $88.75 $5,423.75 28.14%
Coal: Single Unit IGCC with CCS $5,348 $69.30 $5,417.30 27.99%
Geothermal: Dual Flash $5,578 $84.27 $5,662.27 33.77%
Hydro-electric: Pumped Storage $5,595 $13.03 $5,608.03 32.49%
Offshore Wind $5,975 $53.33 $6,028.33 42.42%
Solar: Small Photovoltaic $6,050 $26.04 $6,076.04 43.55%
Natural Gas: Fuel Cells $6,835 $350 $7,185.00 69.75%
Biomass CC $7,894 $338.79 $8,232.79 94.51%
MSW Incineration $8,232 $373.76 $8,605.76 103.32%

Wind on Mountain