☀️ Solar energy with batteries now delivers electricity around the clock in several countries

• 17 kWh battery storage is enough to convert 5 kW solar panels into constant 1 kW clean electricity around the clock.
• Sunny cities like Las Vegas can reach 97 percent of the way to constant solar electricity every hour throughout the year.
• The cost for this is $104 per MWh, which is 22 percent lower than just a year ago and cheaper than new coal or nuclear power.

Around-the-clock solar energy now technical and economic reality

Solar electricity production is now very affordable and with recent improvements in battery costs and technology, 24-hour electricity production is within reach. Rapid advances in battery technology, particularly regarding cost, have made nearly continuous solar power available every hour every day of the year. This is now an economic and technical reality in sunny regions worldwide.

On an average day in a sunny city like Las Vegas, 5 kW fixed solar panels together with a 17 kWh battery are required to deliver constant 1 kW stable power supply around the clock. This combination can deliver constant 1 kW solar electricity every hour during a full 24-hour period. This amount of battery is sufficient for most regions in the world.

Sunny cities reach 97 percent constant power supply

In the sunniest cities, it is possible to get more than 90 percent of the way to constant solar electricity production every hour every day of the year. Las Vegas can reach 97 percent of the way to 1 GW constant supply and Muscat in Oman reaches 99 percent with 6 GW solar panels and 17 GWh battery. Even cloudier cities like Birmingham can get 62 percent of the way to constant supply every hour every day of the year.

Cloudy days mean that 24/365 solar electricity production would require so much solar and battery capacity that it is probably uneconomical. In sunny cities, however, it is possible to get more than 90 percent of the way.

Economics are strong in sunny cities

In a sunny city like Las Vegas, the estimated cost of electricity is $104 per MWh at 97 percent constant supply. This is already 22 percent lower than the estimate of $132 per MWh based on global average capital costs for solar and battery a year earlier. It is also more cost-effective than coal in many regions at $118 per MWh and much cheaper than nuclear power at $182 per MWh.

Industries gain access to continuous clean energy

Industries like data centers and factories need uninterrupted power supply to function. At the same time, demand for clean electricity every hour of the day is increasing through corporate purchase agreements for carbon-free energy. With the ability to deliver electricity around the clock, solar energy can now support 24/7 clean energy contracts for industries that require continuous power, not just daytime.

This is extremely valuable for emerging economies, where solar-powered industrial and economic zones can emerge in sunny areas far from existing grid infrastructure. At the same time, it can bring significant potential savings on grid expansion costs by allowing up to five times as much solar capacity to be installed behind the same grid connection.

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