Value chain · CLM-0250
In plain terms
If the design that runs almost all the time had to operate at the same lower duty cycle as the other design, its electricity cost would rise by about two-thirds, all on its own.
The claim as recorded
Holding all of RD1's other baseline inputs fixed and lowering only its capacity factor from 0.997 to 0.60 (RD2's value) raises RD1's LCOE from 0.623 to 1.035 USD/kWh, a swing of similar size to the report's own largest single-lever launch-cost reduction.
Scope and limits
Capacity factor is itself a consequence of a design's pointing/tracking architecture, not a free dial in reality; this test isolates its numerical effect only.
What it assumes
All other RD1 parameters (mass, launches, manufacturing) held fixed; this is a synthetic sensitivity test, not a claim that RD1's architecture could physically achieve RD1's mass at RD2's capacity factor.
Where it comes from
This is the project's own working, shown in full:
Trace, Section 7: capacity factor 0.60 -> LCOE 1.0354 $/kWh, |delta| 0.4123 from 0.6231 baseline.
Basis: FY2022 USD, nominal; discount rate 3%; RD1 baseline otherwise
Related records
- Answers question
- QST-004 not published in this release
Cite this
energyaperture.com/c/clm-0250
CLM-0250, Energy Aperture, as of 2026-09.
Connected records
Other published records linked to this one. A list, not a judgement.
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