The State That Makes the Sun Last All Night: California Doubles Down on Solar Energy and Phases Out Natural Gas

Written by Caio Aviz

Published on 09/10/2025 at 13:23

Vista de um parque solar na Califórnia, onde baterias de grande escala permitem armazenar energia e reduzir em 43% o uso de gás natural desde 2022.

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With 11.7 GW of Storage in 2024, The U.S. State Reduces Gas Use by 43% and Becomes a Global Leader in Energy Transition

A historic turn is lighting up the future of energy. California, a global reference in innovation and sustainability, achieved in 2024 what experts call the “Holy Grail of Solar Energy”: generating clean electricity at night without relying on the sun.

According to the Ember (2024) report, the state jumped from 0.6 GW of batteries in 2020 to 11.7 GW in 2024, expanding its storage capacity by almost twenty times. Today, this infrastructure represents almost half of the total installed in the United States, consolidating California as a global model of renewable energy.

Storage Turns Night into Day

This impressive achievement did not happen by chance. The secret lies in the combination of solar energy, batteries, and smart demand management. According to the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), natural gas use fell 43% between 2022 and 2024, marking the decline of the fuel that dominated nighttime consumption for decades.

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Market Strategy and Technological Innovation

In addition to technological advances, CAISO implemented innovative measures in the energy market. Since 2023, batteries have started buying cheap energy during the day and reselling it at night, when prices rise. This strategy, known as intraday arbitrage, helped balance the grid and reduced the use of thermal plants.

Another highlight is the Demand-Side Grid-Support (DSGS) program, one of the largest virtual power plants on the planet. According to PV Magazine (2024), it brings together over 200 MW of active power and 720 MW in home batteries. In the summer of 2024, the system was activated 16 times to contain consumption peaks during heat waves, proving its efficiency.

However, the future of the program is at risk. Budget cuts of up to US$ 18 million may jeopardize both the DSGS and the DEBA microgrid project, essential for sustaining the energy transition in the state.

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Economic Effects and New Challenges

The positive impacts are already visible. Wholesale electricity prices fell by 53% in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to CAISO. In addition, mid-day sectors recorded negative prices, offset by the capacity of batteries, which absorb up to 15% of demand during these hours.

According to Jacobson (2024), full electrification could reduce annual energy costs by between 60% and 65% compared to the fossil fuel-based model.

On the other hand, California still faces structural challenges. The state needs to transfer hydroelectric energy to nighttime, accelerate the development of offshore wind energy, and expand demand management, according to a report from Stanford University (2024).

A Transition Model That Inspires The World

The Californian experience shows that the energy transition does not depend on miracles but on decision and planning. With solar, wind, and batteries, it is possible to replace natural gas and create a stable, clean, and economical electricity system.

Mark Jacobson predicts that California will achieve 80% renewable energy between 2026 and 2028 and 100% by 2033. Thus, the state is moving toward becoming the first region on the planet to operate almost entirely with clean energy.

While other countries are still planning their next steps, California is already living the future — with nights powered by stored solar energy and an economy increasingly less dependent on fossil fuels.

What do you think should be a priority for governments worldwide: accelerating the replacement of natural gas with solar energy and batteries, or opting for a more gradual and safe transition to the economy?

The State That Makes the Sun Last All Night: California Doubles Down on Solar Energy and Phases Out Natural Gas

With 11.7 GW of Storage in 2024, The U.S. State Reduces Gas Use by 43% and Becomes a Global Leader in Energy Transition

Storage Turns Night into Day

Market Strategy and Technological Innovation

Economic Effects and New Challenges

A Transition Model That Inspires The World

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The State That Makes the Sun Last All Night: California Doubles Down on Solar Energy and Phases Out Natural Gas

With 11.7 GW of Storage in 2024, The U.S. State Reduces Gas Use by 43% and Becomes a Global Leader in Energy Transition

Storage Turns Night into Day

Market Strategy and Technological Innovation

Economic Effects and New Challenges

A Transition Model That Inspires The World

A giant printer called the “Ferrari” of concrete has landed in Latin America and can already build a 120-square-meter house in just 48 hours, making the traditional construction site look like something from the last century.

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A British company has installed in the middle of the ocean the world’s first floating platform that generates electricity 24 hours a day from the temperature difference between the surface and the depths of the Atlantic, without relying on wind or sun.

China is building an artificial island in the middle of the sea, covering 20 km², to construct the largest offshore airport in the world, the Dalian Jinzhouwan. This $4.3 billion project is anchored on more than 3,000 pillars embedded in the rock beneath the ocean and is scheduled to open in 2035.

Brazil will harvest a record crop of up to 357 million tons of grains, but it does not have the capacity to store a large part of it. The storage deficit has reached the highest level in history and is equivalent to almost the entire production of Argentina.

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