Originally Posted by
Brian Elfert
The problem with solar and no batteries is if everybody depends on the grid when the sun isn't shining then the power companies have to have a lot of power on standby for when the sun goes away. Many power plants can't just be turned on and off based on power demand. Coal power plants typically have to run 24x7 because it takes a long time to bring the plant on or offline. I toured a coal plant once and they claimed if the generator ever stopped turning that the metal shaft would flat spot due to the immense weight. (I have no idea how they ever did work on the generator.)
If you look at electricity demand, it's generally greater during the daytime than in the evening or at night - this is especially true in southern states in the summer, but it's true even without that. Solar allows the electric company to not have to bring peaking generators on line during the day to help meet the increased demand. There's still a drop in usage after about midnight, but overall, it allows the electric companies to run their generators at a more constant power output than if solar was not in the mix.
Mike
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