The wildfire smoke that’s often seen blanketing California skies is more than just a problem for breathing — it can also drastically slash electricity generated by solar panel…
By David R Baker | Bloomberg
The wildfire smoke that’s often seen blanketing California skies is more than just a problem for breathing — it can also drastically slash electricity generated by solar panels in a state that’s been struggling to meet all its power needs. A new study from the National Center for Atmospheric Research shows that smoke can cut solar power production by nearly a third.
Scientists examined a period in September 2020, when smoke from some of the largest fires in California history shrouded much of the state in a sickly orange haze. Using data from the state’s power grid operator, they studied the output from the area’s vast solar farms and compared that to the same period in the prior two years. They also included data from monitoring stations that measure the amount of solar radiation hitting the ground.
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