Solar power is simply not enough

What happens if your solar energy system doesn't supply enough electricity?

This means that if your solar energy system doesn’t supply enough electricity, the grid will supply the rest. Myth #2: Solar panels aren’t efficient enough.

Are solar and wind the cheapest source of electricity?

This transition has been sped by plummeting costs —Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimates that solar and wind are the cheapest source for 91 percent of the world’s electricity — but is being held back by misinformation and myths. Myth No. 1: A grid that increasingly relies on renewable energy is an unreliable grid.

Why do we need more wind & solar?

This leads to a critical problem: when renewables reach high levels on the grid, you need far, far more wind and solar plants to crank out enough excess power during peak times to keep the grid operating through those long seasonal dips, says Jesse Jenkins, a coauthor of the study and an energy systems researcher.

Can solar and wind energy be a basis of a grid?

Myth No. 3: Because solar and wind energy can be generated only when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing, they cannot be the basis of a grid that has to provide electricity 24/7, year-round. While variable output is a challenge, it is neither new nor especially hard to manage.

Are wind and solar a good option?

Those options seem pretty good because wind and sunshine are free and abundant, and the equipment needed to capture their energy is becoming astonishingly cheap. But, unfortunately, wind and solar have a problem—intermittency. The solar farm in the picture above produces no power at night and little on cloudy days.

Does solar work if the Sun Is Shining?

But fear not: The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) is all about the facts. Let’s set the record straight so rumors and falsehoods don’t prevent you from reaping the benefits of solar energy. Here are some common myths and misconceptions: Myth #1: Solar only works when the sun is shining.