We’re all well aware of the extraordinary benefits of using solar energy: it’s an impressively sustainable and clean way to run our homes and businesses. However, a fascinating upcoming event throws up an interesting question about solar energy needs to be addressed. How will the total solar eclipse on April 8th affect the generation of solar power across the U.S.? As an experienced solar expert and solar blogger, I’d like to delve into what this natural event could mean for the solar industry.
The upcoming solar eclipse, where the moon stands between us and the sun, will result in a short-term but complete blockage of sunlight in some areas, leading inevitably to a substantial drop in solar generation. This occurrence is one of the crucial considerations for solar companies when they start planning their operations and contingencies.
Talking about solar, think about an extensive solar array at home, while the solar panels for your home are soaking up sunlight to run your appliances. Suddenly there will be a substantial decrease in solar generation due to the eclipse, right when solar generation is at its peak.
The areas experiencing totality, where the sun is completely obscured by the moon, will see a 100% drop in solar generation for the duration of this spectacle. The effects of the eclipse could cause a loss of up to 16% of the daily total clear sky irradiance in the most affected areas.
This eclipse’s impact does not follow the typical pattern of solar generation rise and fall that we see daily at sunrise and sunset. Instead, it results in what is described as a ‘fast ramp’ of solar generation decreasing and then increasing again. This fluctuation, faster than what we usually experience, lasts up to 90 minutes in the path of totality, with a total loss of light lasting up to six minutes.
Let’s focus down onto Texas, which, being dominated by utility-scale solar assets, will be significantly impacted by this eclipse. Solar company analyses propose a loss of up to 16% of daily irradiance, causing an overall grid loss of up to 117% of daily utility-scale solar generation. At current capacity, this equates to a loss of 16.9 GWh. However, considering the rapid increase in capacity and planned projects going live before April, this loss could even be higher.
As the eclipse travels along the East Coast, it will affect regions like NYISO and ISO-NE. However, these regions have fewer utility-scale solar installations than Texas. The impact will primarily be seen in ‘behind-the-meter’ residential rooftop solar generation. In these regions, the drop in solar irradiance from near peak to zero will occur in around 40 minutes, much faster than the normal daily rise and fall.
While the impact is significant, it’s not something we need to unduly worry about. Solar companies and grid operators have this predictable event marked in their calendars and are planning ahead to mitigate the short-term loss in solar generation.
Solar panels for your home are still a superb investment when compared to relying upon traditional, non-renewable energy sources. Events like this forthcoming eclipse give us food for thought about the solar industry’s dynamics and how resilient and adaptable it proves to be in response to such challenges. Let us marvel at the beauty of a solar eclipse, while being equally awed by the innovation and adaptability the solar industry displays to ensure our energy needs continue to be met.
Original Article: https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/01/26/april-total-eclipse-to-impact-solar-generation-from-mexico-to-new-england/
