Energy Storage, The Power Grid, and Solar Energy

Regarding the suggestion for a huge international effort to develop solar energy, Deon Deetlefs writes on the 2GreenEnergy Facebook page:

Always good to see, but when are we going to place more emphasis on the storage of power rather than the harnessing of it? – no sun at night …. it’s a no-brainer & attention is directed at bi-directional inverters which in itself is very good (to share energy on the grid) but until families can become completely self-sufficient – energy-wise everyone will be dependent on the power companies in private capacities. 

Thanks, Deon.

Personally, I don’t see the need for most families to be independent of the grid.  That economy of scale makes at least as much sense now as it did 100 years ago, and now, with net-metering, there is even more value here.

Also note that there is no imperative to store solar energy, since there is a lucky coincidence between the availability of sunlight and human activity.  Energy required at night can be supplied by other renewable resources: wind, biomass, hydro, and geothermal.