Stand der internationalen und nationalen Diskussion der Sozialen Kosten verschiedener Energietechnologien

A first analysis of the Social Costs of competing technologies for electric power generation, published in 1988, has induced a rather controversial scientific discussion about the magnitude and the possible ways to incorporate Social Costs in decisions on energy systems. Different research projects following up a number of controversial or unanswered questions in the field of Social Costs have been started in the FRG, in Europe and overseas. A first 'counter study'-has been published in the FRG in 1989. Considerations on how to include Social Costs in least cost planning procedures have specifically been taken in the United States. Specific plans on such action are under development in the state of New York and the New England States. The paper summarizes the latest results of the international scientific discussion and research. It concludes that the figures calculated in 1988 have been underesimating the real costs and that new calculations including futher results on C02 lead to sig nificantly higher figures. The difference of the costs not included in the price of conventional electricity and wiond energy rises from 8.4 to 14.0 Pf/kWh on average and for conventional electricity versus photovoltaics from 11.4 to 17.1 Pf/kWh on average