<![CDATA[Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage.]]>Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. If you like these, you might like edition 2 of my book, Solar Power Finance Without The Jargon. A 30% discount code WSQ0437 is valid on publisher website til end-November 2026.

It's the book I should have read before trying to get a job in renewable energy. Reviewers say it is “to the point, important, and taught me a lot” and “surprisingly entertaining, don’t be put off by the title”.

https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/q0437#t=aboutBook

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/topic/ed0d5ee4-cb07-473d-848d-95ebf8f98cf1/time-for-2026-updates-to-my-annual-opinions-about-solar-thread-now-with-storage.RSS for NodeSun, 11 Oct 2026 08:44:22 GMTSat, 10 Oct 2026 12:10:48 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 18:29:24 GMT]]>@Kerplunk
or a backdoor
@solar_chase

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.io/users/wolf480pl/statuses/117418030797314152https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.io/users/wolf480pl/statuses/117418030797314152Sat, 10 Oct 2026 18:29:24 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 18:08:56 GMT]]>@solar_chase https://mastodon.social/@MORFE0/117417740472472287

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/117417725504873308/statuses/117417950356659109https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/117417725504873308/statuses/117417950356659109Sat, 10 Oct 2026 18:08:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 18:08:09 GMT]]>@solar_chase balcony solar has worked really well for us this year in the UK, it more than offset the additional cost/usage of our aircon. It doesn’t make sense for us to be on an existing tariff where we get cheap solar power from the grid.

I did buy into a wind farm first, before I got balcony solar, but that fell apart. I can’t do much, but balcony solar is one of the few things that I can do. Great money saver! 👍

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/theolodian/statuses/117417947242132837https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/theolodian/statuses/117417947242132837Sat, 10 Oct 2026 18:08:09 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 18:06:22 GMT]]>@solar_chase https://mastodon.social/@MORFE0/117417740472472287

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/117417725504873308/statuses/117417940268107037https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/117417725504873308/statuses/117417940268107037Sat, 10 Oct 2026 18:06:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 17:31:12 GMT]]>@solar_chase kennst du den thread, @mkreutzfeldt ?

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://posts.stuetzle.cc/users/ingo/statuses/01M4KDWT6Z3PC95QB3PRZ4DTMJhttps://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://posts.stuetzle.cc/users/ingo/statuses/01M4KDWT6Z3PC95QB3PRZ4DTMJSat, 10 Oct 2026 17:31:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 16:35:43 GMT]]>@solar_chase take up of EV would be higher in the UK if charging was less expensive & easier to access for people who cannot home charge.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://fosstodon.org/users/will_shake/statuses/117417583823574105https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://fosstodon.org/users/will_shake/statuses/117417583823574105Sat, 10 Oct 2026 16:35:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 16:30:30 GMT]]>@hwa @solar_chase Yes, I’ve worked on those in Iceland. Their problem is you need a substantial heat flux to avoid a diminishing return as the country rock around your exchanger boreholes cools from use.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.online/users/BashStKid/statuses/117417563279965526https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.online/users/BashStKid/statuses/117417563279965526Sat, 10 Oct 2026 16:30:30 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 16:13:43 GMT]]>@flaki @solar_chase

^ this. I'd love to find a small quiet wind generator my neighbours would barely notice. Probably vertical axis suitable for turbulent wind in stealth locations.

Grid independence is relatively easy in summer, impossible without wind in winter (I'm in northern england).

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sunny.garden/users/xenogon/statuses/117417497270755303https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sunny.garden/users/xenogon/statuses/117417497270755303Sat, 10 Oct 2026 16:13:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 16:03:48 GMT]]>@BashStKid large scale geothermal is also a option in a bunch of places that don't happen to have a coast around.

@solar_chase

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/hwa/statuses/117417458293888263https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/hwa/statuses/117417458293888263Sat, 10 Oct 2026 16:03:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 16:02:41 GMT]]>@slothrop in Germany, you can achieve 60-70% of autonomy with a typical PV+battery setup. 100% is not feasible. Balcony Solar, is a toy, and very you to, 10-20% under ideal conditions. Main advantage of the latter is that it's available to people paying rent as well.

@solar_chase

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/hwa/statuses/117417453891650702https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/hwa/statuses/117417453891650702Sat, 10 Oct 2026 16:02:41 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 15:59:17 GMT]]>@solar_chase Outstanding info presented, imo the US, driven by petro economics is woefully unprepared to switch to wholesale adoption of elec vehicles, and there’s an internal group of Petro head actors actively fighting it to add to their piles of gold, regardless of the disaster that awaits us or the revolution they trigger. 🤔

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.world/users/Huntn00/statuses/117417440571371829https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.world/users/Huntn00/statuses/117417440571371829Sat, 10 Oct 2026 15:59:17 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:46:13 GMT]]>@solar_chase
Not just solar, the US has fucked over heat pump prices too with the trade wars.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://beige.party/users/lackthereof/statuses/117417153216082320https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://beige.party/users/lackthereof/statuses/117417153216082320Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:46:13 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:43:26 GMT]]>@solar_chase
I’m Rania from Gaza. 💔🇵🇸
The war destroyed our home and left my children and me struggling to survive without the basic necessities.
I’m asking for your help. Even a small donation or a share can help us get through another difficult day. 🙏🤍
🔗 Donation link in bio

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://freesewing.social/users/Rania/statuses/117417142283458962https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://freesewing.social/users/Rania/statuses/117417142283458962Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:43:26 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:41:24 GMT]]>@solar_chase
In effect this means that places with stable, yearlong solar irradiation are the places with the cheapest electricity. Consequences are huge I would say.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/martincigan/statuses/117417134275048184https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/martincigan/statuses/117417134275048184Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:41:24 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:33:34 GMT]]>@solar_chase great insights and reasoning, a wonderful round-up yet again, look forward to it each year

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/craigmorgan/statuses/117417103510960812https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/craigmorgan/statuses/117417103510960812Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:33:34 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:29:11 GMT]]>@solar_chase This was great to skim through! Thank you

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.coop/users/ansate/statuses/117417086233538354https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.coop/users/ansate/statuses/117417086233538354Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:29:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:18:09 GMT]]>@solar_chase The problem there is that the companies are not interested in occasional, optional use, and will do everything they can to be a permanent baseline with an extortionate take-or-pay contract.

I understand your analysis, but imo the only way to avoid this political trap is to completely close oil and gas out of the domestic market and almost completely out of the industrial market.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.online/users/BashStKid/statuses/117417042897749433https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.online/users/BashStKid/statuses/117417042897749433Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:18:09 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:03:57 GMT]]>@solar_chase

This last toot burns especially hard right after EU/USA started buying more gas from Russia again...

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sociale.network/users/clockwooork/statuses/117416987027203101https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sociale.network/users/clockwooork/statuses/117416987027203101Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:03:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:03:20 GMT]]>@solar_chase We really need a moderately efficient, environmentally tolerable, tidal/wave solution as the third leg.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.online/users/BashStKid/statuses/117416984640512071https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.online/users/BashStKid/statuses/117416984640512071Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:03:20 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:02:37 GMT]]>@Kerplunk @solar_chase

... or by closing down all Chinese solar inverters from China...

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://fediscience.org/users/martinvermeer/statuses/117416981785822320https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://fediscience.org/users/martinvermeer/statuses/117416981785822320Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:02:37 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:02:03 GMT]]>@solar_chase Thank you for this.
And yay for being a Clean Power analyst!

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/colo_lee/statuses/117416979587609533https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/colo_lee/statuses/117416979587609533Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:02:03 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 13:48:36 GMT]]>@solar_chase

The only true decoupling of this type is as you describe, 'a big tank of some storage medium', aka as flow batteries. Like vanadium redox.

But you don't really need storage on the seasonal time scale (which mixing solar and wind can eliminate, at least on mid-latitudes). You need storage over the synoptic time scale, days to weeks. Also over-building capacity helps: I heard from a colleague that his home PV produces in inclement weather 20% of what it does in sunny weather. And PV is getting ridiculously cheap...

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://fediscience.org/users/martinvermeer/statuses/117416926678187954https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://fediscience.org/users/martinvermeer/statuses/117416926678187954Sat, 10 Oct 2026 13:48:36 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 13:36:33 GMT]]>@solar_chase thank you very much for the update!

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://beige.party/users/mothninja/statuses/117416879289836090https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://beige.party/users/mothninja/statuses/117416879289836090Sat, 10 Oct 2026 13:36:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Time for 2026 updates to my annual “opinions about solar” thread, now with storage. on Sat, 10 Oct 2026 13:25:50 GMT]]>@solar_chase

Achieving a low-carbon transition, for most countries, will not look like winning a war or marching while waving flags. etc:

I would add, having highly distributed energy production is a distinct advantage
with regard to resilience against sabotage, attack, natural disasters.

If citizen owned there is also great incentive to protect it.

Knocking out thousands of solar farms and battery storage systems would be difficult, possible exception Nuclear high burst EMP .

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.scot/users/Kerplunk/statuses/117416837170160662https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.scot/users/Kerplunk/statuses/117416837170160662Sat, 10 Oct 2026 13:25:50 GMT