• LanternEverywhere@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    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.

    • gammasfor@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      Isn’t the issue more going to be the solar power generation during winter - which happens to also be when energy demand is greatest?