The search for more sustainable and less polluting alternatives has led to the expansion of the use of renewable energy, such as solar and wind. However, a challenge remains: the intermittency of these energy sources.
The solution to this problem may lie in advancing the solar and wind energy storage, which promises to be a watershed in global energy transition. Solar energy storage represents an innovative solution to the intermittency problem of renewable energy and an important step towards global decarbonization. With continued technological development and reduced costs, solar energy storage has the potential to revolutionize the energy sector, significantly contributing to a more sustainable future.
The challenge of intermittency e the big battery solution
Solar energy, although clean and renewable, faces the problem of intermittency, that is, the inability to generate energy at night or on cloudy days. Similarly, wind energy depends on the variation of the wind. This intermittence limits the reliability of these sources as consistent substitutes for fossil fuels.
The answer to this challenge may lie in building large battery facilities, such as Tesla Megapack batteries. These installations allow storing surplus energy generated during periods of high production (sunny or windy days) and redistribute that energy when production is low.
Solar energy storage has the potential to transform the energy sector
With the ability to store large amounts of energy, batteries can help balance supply and demand, reducing the need for more expensive and polluting fossil fuel plants.
Technological advances, especially in the automotive sector, have contributed to the production of smaller, more efficient and cheaper lithium-ion batteries. Those advances are crucial to make solar energy storage a viable and affordable option. According to The Globe sales of electric vehicles grew 50% in the first quarter of 2023.
The future of solar energy storage is promising, with the continued evolution of batteries, and in particular Tesla Megapack, it is expected that the dependence on oil decreases significantly. The possibility of generating and storing energy at home and supplying electric vehicles with this energy is an increasingly close reality.