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[–><!–>But adding new sources of power isn’t easy. Turbines for natural gas plants are scarce. Large wind and solar projects and the transmission lines to connect them to cities are often stymied by local opposition. New nuclear reactors are years away.–><!–>
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7 a.m.
The Sun Rises
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[–><!–>The National Renewable Energy Laboratory concluded in a 2016 report that rooftop systems could theoretically provide almost half of the electricity that residents in many states use over a year and as much as 74 percent in sunny California.–><!–>
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2 p.m.
An Energy Bonanza
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[–><!–>About three years ago, California significantly reduced subsidies for rooftop solar panels while offering more incentives for batteries.–><!–>
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[–><!–>When its very hot or very cold, residential energy systems usually don’t cover an entire 24-hour period. In California some properties can operate off the grid, but they require large, expensive systems.–><!–>
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[–><!–>Solar energy is expected to supply about 7 percent of U.S. electricity this year and 8 percent next year, up from less than 1 percent 10 years ago. Rooftop systems produced a fraction of that, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In California, utility-scale solar delivers about a fifth of the state’s electricity, and rooftop systems add another 10 percent, according to the California Solar & Storage Association.–><!–>
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8 p.m.
The Sun Has Set
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–>Sources<!–>
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[–><!–>Home energy data was recorded every 15 minutes on June 12, 2025, in Los Angeles and provided by Enphase.–><!–>
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[–><!–>Solar panel adoption data counts each single-family home with rooftop solar panels and covers 70 percent of the U.S. population. Data provided by CAPE Analytics, a Moody’s company, and produced from imagery captured by Vexcel Imaging, EagleView and other providers. Population data from U.S. Census Bureau, 2019-2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.–><!–>
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