Solar Power

Everything solar, explained without requiring a degree in electrical engineering. From how photovoltaic cells turn sunlight into electricity to inverters, capacity factors, storage, solar farms, rooftop systems and the economics behind them.

What is the Duck Curve? When solar power collides with peak electricity demand

Witty featured image of the duck curve showing a giant duck-shaped figure over solar panels, batteries, homes, and an evening city skyline.

Solar power can become so abundant in the middle of the day that it creates a completely different problem for the electricity grid: too much power at noon, then a frantic scramble for electricity after sunset. That strange pattern is called the duck curve. Here’s what it is, why it happens, and why batteries, EVs, flexible demand, and smarter grids may finally teach the duck some manners.