Solar Generation Surge Sends European Power Prices Below Zero

Solar’s rise and the new bottleneck: storage

• Commenters broadly agree that solar and wind have near‑zero marginal cost and are rapidly getting cheaper; panel cost is no longer the main constraint.
• The new bottleneck is safe, scalable storage: residential LFP batteries are seen as just reaching viable cost for DIY, with curiosity about sodium batteries.
• Some expect developing regions to leapfrog to solar + storage microgrids instead of gas and long transmission.

Grid dynamics, negative prices, and demand response

• Negative prices are framed as a symptom of an inelastic grid: generation can’t adjust quickly, and demand scarcely responds.
• Causes cited: inflexible thermal plants, subsidy structures, congestion, and “must‑run” contracts.
• Many see negative prices as a healthy signal to build storage and demand response, not a failure.

Storage approaches: batteries vs alternatives

• Large‑scale batteries are viewed by several as the dominant future storage, supported by rapid growth stats.
• Others emphasize non‑battery options: pumped hydro, compressed gas, using building HVAC, water heaters, and EV/workplace charging as flexible loads.
• Skeptics argue long‑duration/seasonal storage remains technically and economically unresolved; some advocate nuclear as the realistic firm source.

Residential and small‑scale solar economics

• In Germany, rooftop PV (often without batteries) is reported to pay back in ~5–10 years, with “plug‑and‑play” balcony systems highlighted as cheap entry options.
• Batteries are widely seen as the least cost‑effective part of small systems; pure PV plus grid is usually better ROI.
• In the US, commenters blame fragmented permitting, unstable incentives, and high customer‑acquisition costs for making residential solar “by design” expensive; community solar is suggested as an alternative.

Nuclear vs renewables: cost, speed, and system design

• One side argues nuclear is essential for firm power and cheaper once full system costs of 100% renewables (overbuild + storage + gas backup) are included.
• The other side cites long build times, cost overruns (e.g., Hinkley, Vogtle, European EPRs), and modeling that finds renewables‑dominant systems cheaper, especially when continent‑scale grids and flexibility are considered.
• German vs French outcomes, CO₂ intensity, and gas subsidies are contested, with disagreement over whether Germany’s renewable strategy has “hit limits” or is on track.

Impact on fossil fuels and equity

• Some claim lack of winter renewables and storage entrenches gas, slowing heat‑pump adoption; others counter that even partial decarbonization and reduced fossil capacity factors are big wins.
• Concerns are raised that rooftop solar and high fixed grid charges can shift costs onto renters and low‑income households.