The annual cost has fallen to €19, 200 (£15,400) per MW in 2012 from
€30, 900 (£25,700) per MW in 2008, said the analyst’s inaugural Wind
Operations and Maintenance Price Index published today.
A combination of increased competition between turbine manufacturers
and improved service performance of turbines contributed to driving
down costs, the report said. Manufacturers are also attempting to lock
in longer term agreements, resulting in the average contract duration
rising to 6.9 years in 2012 from 4.5 years in 2008.
Michael Liebreich, chief executive of Bloomberg New Energy Finance,
said: “Wind power has done much to improve its competitiveness against
gas-fired and coal-fired generation in recent years, via lower-cost,
more technically advanced turbines, and more sophisticated siting and
management of windfarms. This new O&M Price Index shows that
servicing windfarms at the operating stage is also becoming much more
cost-efficient.”