“You are misinformed. PV is a highly inefficient way to generate electricity. “
It’s not super efficient, but it is getting better over time. Also, efficiency is not quite as important if the energy input is free (sunshine).
“PV provides no baseload power.”
I live in a region where it gets Very Hot during the summer. Every summer, we break 110’ F. Most summers, we hit 114’... Sometimes, we’ll go a few weeks in July with all days hitting 100+, and nighttime temps never dropping below 70’ F.
Now, Grid-connected home Solar electric in these regions makes A Lot of Sense.
During the hottest part of the day, the solar panels get the most intense light, and offset the amount of utility power required to run the A/C.
In these regions, solar electric may not add to baseload power, but it does reduce the amount of baseload power required on the grid.
Still, agree with others that it should never be forced... I still can’t afford it, even with the tax credit.
The investment makes no sense even in your climate unless you artificially inflate grid power. PV solar receives incredible subsidies. Even with the subsidies, it is only marginally useful. Why should we provide subsidies worth up to 75% of the investment cost? The free energy idea is misleading. If you identify the payback or ROI, you will see that PV is a loser.
In most areas, PV does not match peak generation periods. Peak generation is usually about 5PM in the summer but PV output declines substantially by 5PM. In my area, we typically get clouds in the late afternoon, reducing output substantially.
It is simple as that.
If PV was economical, it wouldn't need massive subsidies to get people to purchase them. When your neighbor puts in solar panels, you're paying for it whether you want to or not.