Pavel Storek / energostackFeb 9, 2023
Jenny Chase

Poland generated 4.8% of its electricity from PV Jan-Nov 2022.

I say this a lot, but 15 years ago I wouldn't have believed anywhere would ever get that high, never mind northerly and coal-dominated Poland. It really feels like the end of the beginning.

https://www.are.waw.pl/wydawnictwa#informacja-statystyczna-o-energii-elektrycznej

Wydawnictwa

Analizy rynkowe, informacje o funkcjonowaniu sektora paliwowo-energetycznego Polski

Feb 9, 2023 at 11:02amWeb
Show threadJenny ChaseFeb 9, 2023

I'm pretty sure I remember people worrying about what a disaster to the grid a contribution of 3% PV to the electricity mix would be.

There are many reasons why these fears haven't materialised - grid investment, gas plant flexibility, tactical curtailment - but they haven't.

Show threadJenny ChaseFeb 9, 2023

Meanwhile California got 14.2% of its electricity from large-scale solar in 2021 (source below), plus probably at least 6% from small solar not tracked by government stats.

(Annoyingly we have published incorrect numbers for California PV % before, I think. So not going to be more specific and gonna stick to super official sources).

https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/california-electricity-data/2021-total-system-electric-generation

2021 Total System Electric Generation

California Energy Commission
Show threadAnton LodderFeb 9, 2023
@solar_chase to what degree is this a "we took steps to mitigate this" (along lines of y2k) versus things we just didn't know would naturally happen as levels increased?
Show threadJenny ChaseFeb 9, 2023
@antonlodder I think it's a mixture. Modern PV systems are much better at reporting and being switched off remotely than 2010 ones, and power and capacity markets have been made more responsive. But also a lot of the fear was knee-jerk terror of change.
Show threadHenri HornFeb 12, 2023
@solar_chase In 1993, several electrical utilities in Germany published jointly a newspaper ad claiming that renewables (incl hydro!) can never supply more than 4% of electricity.