First-of-its-Kind Analysis Finds U.S. Electricity Costs Are Half That of China's
Biggins Lacy Shapiro and Tractus Asia Release Surprising New Comparison of U.S./China Electric Prices
PRINCETON, N.J. and SHANGHAI, May 24, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Median electricity prices for U.S. industrial plants are one-third to one-half of prices in China, and the savings in the U.S. can be as high as 70%, according to "A Comparison of U.S. & China Electricity Costs." A first "apples to apples" comparison of industry electric costs in both countries was released today by Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Company (BLS & Co.) and Tractus Asia.
"A search for lower costs had led many manufacturers to set up operations in China starting in the early 1990's," said Tim Comerford, Senior Vice President – Energy Services, BLS & Co. "However, the costs of production are constantly evolving. To our surprise, we found China's electricity prices rose much faster than those in the U.S. over the last ten years, growing 17.5% versus 11.9% in the U.S."
The report shows that median electricity prices for industrial plants in the U.S. tend to be 34-49% lower than Chinese prices. In some regional comparisons -- specifically the South Central U.S. versus Jiangsu, China – savings can be as high as 70%.
"Unlike other costs that can be offset somewhat by scale economies, China's higher electricity costs are not one of them, and the cost differential is likely to remain large – barring a major devaluation of the renminbi," said Dennis Meseroll, Executive Director, Tractus Asia.
Conversely, electric prices in the U.S. have been stable or have seen downward pressure over the past two years. "The U.S. has experienced a significant increase in the supply of natural gas, and as a result, near record low natural gas prices. Many utilities are converting or shutting down coal generating facilities in favor of combined cycle natural gas plants," said Comerford.
To compile the data, BLS & Co. worked directly with U.S. utilities, and Tractus Asia consulted with authorities from China's State Grid Corporation. Click here to view the full report.
About Biggins Lacy Shapiro
Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Company, LLC (BLS & Co.) helps some of the world's largest corporations identify the best locations, negotiate incentives, secure development approvals and optimize energy strategies. Location Economics™, the firm's trademarked multi-disciplinary approach, focuses on creating value for companies and their communities. BLS & Co. is headquartered in Princeton, NJ, with offices in New York and Chicago. www.blsstrategies.com
About Tractus Asia
Tractus Asia is a leading Asia-based foreign direct investment advisory firm focused on assisting companies, government agencies and multilateral organizations with their trade, investment and growth strategies. We work to develop the most cost-effective approaches for our clients to establish operations, make acquisitions, expand, or diversify their manufacturing and service industry investments throughout Asia. Tractus has assisted more than 1,000 companies to develop and implement their corporate strategies on over US$5 billion of foreign direct investment and trade. www.tractus-asia.com
SOURCE Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Company, LLC
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