That said, the rate at which solar panels generate electricity varies depending on the amount of direct sunlight and the quality, size, number and location of panels in use. Even in winter, solar panel technology is still effective; at one point in February 2022, solar was providing more than 20% of the UK’s electricity.1
Unfortunately, we lack the ability to summon the Sun on demand, so if a Solar power plant is not generating enough power, there is quite literally nothing the team can do to increase output. In large scale, solar energy, at least photovoltaic systems, can only work as complement to other sources.
It is nowhere near reliable enough for demand. Net zero emissions is such a deception, it importing “dirty” energy so they can say they don’t use it. There are a few reasons why we don't rely heavily on solar energy as a society, even in sunny places.
No. Solar panels don’t need direct sunlight to harness energy from sun, they just require some level of daylight in order to generate electricity. That said, the rate at which solar panels generate electricity varies depending on the amount of direct sunlight and the quality, size, number and location of panels in use.
The problem is that variable energy like solar power doesn't go well with an electric grid. The sun won't be shining at night, so you still have to have enough power at night to run the entire grid. So you have to build enough coal plants or nuclear plants to supply everyone with electricity all night.
To understand why is solar energy important, we must look at its environmental impact. Solar power is clean, renewable, and does not emit greenhouse gases. Unlike fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal, which release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when burned, solar panels have no emissions when generating electricity.