By Institute for Energy Research ——Bio and Archives--August 21, 2017
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“As the utility sector prepares for the short-term impact of a solar eclipse, a much larger problem looms for solar advocates—the diminishing value of intermittent solar as a reliable source of electricity. This new paper, from the Institute for Energy Research, evaluates the constraints and shortcomings of solar energy today. “Public discourse has hailed solar’s falling costs as of late, but this paper shows that solar’s value to the grid is also falling. The crux of the issue is that solar remains an intermittent electricity resource. Though it can have a useful role on an electrical grid as a supplementary source of energy, at high penetration levels solar energy actually does more harm than good. “What policymakers need to realize—both federally and at the state level—is that subsidizing solar energy through efforts like tax incentives and net metering makes no sense. More solar penetration in places like California will lead to an outcome no one wants: a less reliable electricity grid.”
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The Institute for Energy Research (IER) is a not-for-profit organization that conducts intensive research and analysis on the functions, operations, and government regulation of global energy markets. IER maintains that freely-functioning energy markets provide the most efficient and effective solutions to today’s global energy and environmental challenges and, as such, are critical to the well-being of individuals and society.