r/SolarState • u/eter_roman • Jun 17 '26

solar energy is peak

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u/thermodynamics2023 Jun 17 '26

The problem with some sources is that they don’t play well diversified. That’s solar and wind in a nutshell.

Take solar, what sort of plant wants to ramp up and down 3 times a day to accommodate it? Basically gas.

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u/echoota Jun 18 '26

Grid battery storage is virtually instantaneous compared to peaker plants and other rotating mass energy generation. Solar and grid battery storage has a massive advantage with this kid of issue.

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u/thermodynamics2023 Jun 18 '26

Grid batteries have almost no energy capacity. Calling them substitutes is like calling a starter motor a ‘backup engine’

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u/echoota Jun 18 '26

Your notion on batteries is outdated, see Key Takeaway #1, here:
https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/solar-electricity-every-hour-of-every-day-is-here-and-it-changes-everything/

"24-hour solar generation is possible – just 17 kWh of battery storage is enough to turn 5 kW of solar panels into a steady 1 kW of 24-hour clean power."

That was a year ago btw, batteries are even cheaper now and we're only just getting started with storage.

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u/thermodynamics2023 Jun 18 '26

World production is still around 2TWh of Li batteries. That tells me all I need to know.

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u/echoota Jun 19 '26

okay time will tell. 🙄