The Big Myth About Renewable Energy You Need To Stop Believing

All electricity systems, whether used domestically by businesses or by industries, are composed of two main elements: the energy generation system, and the energy storage and distribution network. As Yale Environment 360 explains, no energy plant works 24/7, around the clock, year-round. Disruptions and downtime are very common in the energy generation sector, impacting nuclear, coal, gas, wind, solar, hydroelectric, and even ocean energy.

When it comes to wind and solar, these idle times are set by weather; just like with hydroelectric dams, power generation drops in times of drought. Coal plants may also face reductions due to problems in the supply chain, and nuclear plants may have to shut down due to maintenance or emergencies. Fossil fuel and nuclear plants, according to Yale, work with disruptions that can affect up to 12% of their total operating time.

The myth that solar and wind energy are only useful on sunny and windy days, while it does have a foundation, reveals just how little is known about how energy systems work. Solar and wind projects, like all energy generation projects, are linked to energy storage and distribution systems. During outages or on days when the sun does not shine and the wind does not blow, storage systems kick in.