Intermittent renewable energy

Renewable energy whose output varies with naturally changing conditions and cannot be fully controlled on demand. Wind and solar power are its most familiar sources.

Solar irradiance: The power per unit area received from the Sun as electromagnetic radiation. Changing sunlight determines photovoltaic output and drives daily and seasonal variation.
Electricity grid: An interconnected system that generates, transmits, distributes, and delivers electrical power. The grid must continuously balance variable renewable supply with electricity demand.
Dispatchable generation: Electricity generation that operators can adjust on demand within its operating limits. It can be scheduled to respond directly when wind or solar output changes.
Wind turbine: A machine that converts the kinetic energy of wind into mechanical power or electricity. Turbines turn changing wind conditions into variable electrical output.
Renewable energy curtailment: The reduction of renewable electricity generation that could otherwise have been produced. Rising curtailment raises questions about transmission, storage, and the cost of surplus generation.
Wind power: Electricity generated by converting the kinetic energy of moving air. Wind turbines produce variable output as wind speed changes.
Grid integration: The technical and operational coordination of energy sources with an electricity network. Integration measures let grids accommodate fluctuating renewable generation.
Baseload power: Electricity generation intended to supply a steady minimum level of demand over time. Its steady-output model differs from weather-dependent generation, though both can support a grid.
Solar power tower: A concentrated solar power plant that uses mirrors to focus sunlight onto a central receiver. Thermal storage can let this solar technology generate electricity after sunlight fades.
Long-duration energy storage: Energy storage designed to discharge for many hours or longer, rather than only short periods. It could address prolonged lulls in renewable output that short-duration batteries cannot cover economically.

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