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Increased use of renewable energy is a wonderful idea, provided the full limitations are understood and aptly accounted for. Everybody acknowledges the nighttime shutdown of solar panels and a degree of storage necessary to compensate. However, a much more dire potential problem exists.
A look at history reveals a condition far worse than twilight's reduction in solar output. Two dates in particular should be considered: 1815 and 1883.
People alive in those years were not so profoundly affected by nature's wrath as we would be today, for the simple reason that they did not tie their lives so completely to an energized electrical grid.
The significance of those dates? Tambora and Krakatoa, which were volcanoes. Terms like "the year without summer" were used to describe the resulting plight of populations all around the world. But again, they were not so inconvenienced as we would be today.
One modern government (California) is proud of the accomplishment of 100% solar powering the electrical grid, albeit for a brief moment on a clear weekend afternoon last year when electrical demand was minimal. But to be clear, complete reliance on solar power would be a classic example of having "all your eggs in one basket" if not for the fact several fossil and nuclear electric stations were on standby with spinning reserves to kick in once the clouds moved in, or dusk approached.
The short power outages most of us have experienced could be described "irritating" at most. Longer outages represent a serious reduction in the quality of life, and in winter even an existential threat. Most would consider an electrical outage of several days or certainly several weeks to be unbearable. So how about a year or two?
With no intent to sound dramatic, the extended failure of an electrical grid could cost many lives. Industry, hospitals, lighting, heating, air conditioning, etc., would be impacted and many would be unable to cope.
Darkened skies from volcanic ash would also have an impact wind turbines, as the sun's energy is what largely drives the wind. Some countries might be able to purchase power, at great cost, from neighbors endowed with hydropower or some other solar-independent source. However, not enough.
Governments owe their citizens some redundancy and assurance when making adjustments to the electrical power grid that could impact its reliability. In a highly solar dependent country that suddenly saw its skies dark with ash, the government's message to its populace might sound something like: "Oops."
Eric Stevens, of Becker, Minn., is an engineer.
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April 21, 2023 at 05:30AM
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Dates to ponder for our solar-powered future: 1815, 1883 - Star Tribune
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