Could a solar eclipse over Europe during the day affect the power generated by Germany's photovoltaic systems or solar panels, thereby challenging the reliability of the electrical supply across the country?

A new analysis based on simulations and data from the partial solar eclipse that occurred over Europe on the morning of March 20th indicates that such shadowing causes a sudden drop in the power gradient, followed by a steep rise. However, during the shadowing on March 20th, the amount of imported power rose and the amount of exported power fell accordingly.

"The electrical power supply was not threatened and most likely would not have posed a significant problem even in a worst-case scenario," said Sven Killinger, lead author of the Energy Technology study.

Part of the reason the supply is not threatened is because increased reliance on renewables has meant a real financial windfall for fossil-fuel companies. Recognizing that wind and solar are spotty (and, for wind, sometimes at night when people are sleeping) the government has used traditional energy companies as the back-up plan, and those companies are making up to 400X as much as they would otherwise make in order to keep them in that on-demand status.  The balancing market and its wildly profitable cost model make sure German customers won't even be annoyed.