When we generate power from a renewable source, we don't pay for the fuel. We pay for the build and operation of the plant. So conversion efficiency doesn't tell us much. Instead we are interested in how the project costs translate into the energy generated.
As energy = stroke x load, we can also ask which of the project costs are directly associated with the stroke and load that occur when energy is captured. What are we spending money on that doesn't directly lead to energy capture, and how can we design to reduce this?
We have known for a while that costs are associated with maximum strokes and loads, while revenues are associated with mean strokes and loads. Can we say more?
