Renewables in the Grid: Dispelling the Myths

In this post, we’re going to debunk renewable energy myths that have plagued solar and wind energy for too long. These myths serve to derail a better understanding of how renewables work and how wider adoption and renewable-friendly policies could benefit us. Many thanks to the International Solar Energy Society for providing clear explanations and attractive graphics to help make the case for renewables!

Myth #1: Wind and solar will never replace baseload generation, the constant electricity production typically provided by coal, nuclear and large hydro power plants. (If this were true, then how are countries like Denmark, Germany, and parts of Australia getting 100% of their power from wind and solar?)

Myth #2: Wind and solar are too intermittent for reliable grid operations and cannot be predicted. (Not true! Wind and solar forecast predictions are increasing in accuracy.)

Myth #3: Expensive storage is required to further increase reliability and renewable energy use in the electricity grid. (Nay, nein, nope and also not true!)

Myth #4: High quantities of wind and solar energy will destabilize the grid and cause blackouts. (We HATE this one – FALSE!)

Myth #5: For every PV or wind power plant, an equal capacity of fossil fuel generated electricity must be running in the background, negating most of the carbon emissions benefit. (WHAT??? Who’s coming up with this stuff?)

Myth #6: The duck curve, which shows a late afternoon load spike as large amounts of solar energy go offline coincidentally during the evening peak electricity demand, will be very difficult and expensive to solve. (Quack … we mean, heck no!)

Myth #7: Excess renewable energy generation will be wasted, causing retail electricity prices to increase. (Nope, not true.)

Myth #8: Transmitting renewable energy across the electricity grid over long distances is highly inefficient and costly. (Say it with us: NO!)

Thanks again to the International Solar Energy Society for creating and sharing this great content. If you have any questions about solar energy in general, or about how you can harness the power of the sun for your home or business, please give us a call: 941-359-3700.

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