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The 'duck curve' is solar energy's greatest challenge

Vox · 2.7M views · 2018-05-09 · 3:58

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Overview

A short Vox explainer on the duck curve, the shape electricity demand takes in California as solar output grows. It explains why grid operators struggle to balance supply and demand with lots of solar.

On Hacker News

Cited as a quick explainer in threads about rooftop solar, renewables, and grid load.

Discussed on HN; no positive recommendation is recorded in this export · HN mentions 2018–2019

Topics

Renewables, batteries & storagePower grid, heating & buildings
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duck curvesolarelectric gridcaliforniarenewables

What people said

skwb · 2019-05 · Reference

It's not so much that they can wind down the energy they make, it's the fact that they cannot store energy for when there's increased demand. [VIDEO]

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casefields · 2018-06 · Reference

That's because solar usage has created a "duck curve" I would imagine it would be even more unfair to make normal energy users pay for that: [VIDEO]

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Endama · 2018-05 · Reference

VOX just released a video on the "Duck Curve" phenomenon that arises as a result of renewables[1]. Does anyone here have any insight on what the state is trying to do to mitigate negative downstream affects of the duck curve? [1] [VIDEO]

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Sources

Video by Vox, played through YouTube.

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