California Has Too Much Solar Power. That Might Be Good for Ratepayers

The one problem with adding renewable energy sources is the lack of correlation between the demand and the actual capabilities. In June, California set the record for the most solar energy on the main grid of the entire state, and the record for the most energy taken offline. Although California is recognized for being ambitious with their renewable energy use, their solar farms are producing far more energy than the average american household needs due to extreme heat temperatures and sun. Worried over wasting excess energy, lawmakers are trying to find ways to preserve the added sunlight, yet such excess energy might prove beneficial for ratepayers. By having too many solar panels than needed, the prices of electricity remain relatively low. Building solar panels has become so cheap that overbuilding it is actually beneficial as the extra power can replace the need for batteries altogether. Excess energy can become extremely useful on cloudy days, when there is no sun to supply power. By 2030, California plans to have 100% climate-friendly energy, encouraging other states to follow in suit as they watch California’s progress. States are further intrigued as California already uses the most energy, yet has the lowest electricity bills due to solar farm use. Essentially, overbuilding solar panels is far from harmful. It offers quick storage of energy far cheaper than batteries, and can help California reach the goal of fossil fuel replacement, with the help of neighboring state involvement.   

The sole argument against solar panels is their inefficiency during moments without sunlight. However, this article directly counters this as with increasing temperatures, a lack of solar power is not an issue whatsoever. Because an excess of solar energy can not only be beneficial in times of cloudy weather, but is also cheaper than the typical backup battery method, customers are quickly interested. Further, as California continues overbuilding solar farms in order to encourage other states to follow along, influence spreads surprisingly fast. Once neighboring states copy California and focus on building not only solar and wind farms but more than necessary, the message of making all power environmentally-friendly is obvious. Therefore, the article encourages a welcoming mindset towards solar energy, so much that installing excess is encouraged to further promote the project across the entire country. 

One thought on “California Has Too Much Solar Power. That Might Be Good for Ratepayers

  1. It’s exciting that the argument against solar is so flawed. However, not all states have the same climate, and many areas in California have microclimates (i.e. San Francisco). Do you think this is a solution that is capable of being implemented in all of California?

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