this post was submitted on 23 Aug 2023
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You and many people overestimate the effect of clouds on solar power generation. Even on cloudy days solar panels still produce mostly the same amount of power. On the absolutely darkest cloud days, solar panels still put out about 50% the same amount of energy they generate on perfectly clear sunny days. And that's only for the absolutely darkest cloud days, whereas if it's just a typical overcast kind of day the output will be a lot higher. So even if society went to being completely solar powered, you'd only need 50% more solar power generation to be completely meeting your needs even on the cloudiest days.
Isn't the issue more going to be the solar power generation during winter - which happens to also be when energy demand is greatest?
It probably depends on where you live, but from a quick web search i see sources saying most energy is used in the summer. ( https://learn.pjm.com/three-priorities/keeping-the-lights-on/how-energy-use-varies.aspx ). In locations that receive less sunlight you would simply need more solar panels to meet your needs. In those rare areas that truly receive very little sunlight for months you would choose other technologies like wind, especially since those dark areas likely correlate with where wind is stronger and steadier.
But my comment was in reply to the person who claimed that solar wont work when it's cloudy, which is false. Solar works great even when it's cloudy.
Oh you originally responded to me but I never said anything about cloud cover.
And Europe energy crisis last winter was partly due to unperfect meteorological conditions over Europe.
And solar panels produce zero energy during the night.