The April 8 eclipse will reduce solar power, strain the grid [Video]

• During the 2017 total solar eclipse, solar power generation in the U.S. dropped 25% below average.
• Now, seven years later, the U.S. has the capacity to generate three times more solar energy than it did during the last total solar eclipse.
• To prevent temporary blackouts during the April 8 eclipse, grid operators will need to tap into local reserves and minimize power transfer between grids during the event.

The April 8 eclipse and solar power

By Vahe Peroomian, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

During the most recent total solar eclipse visible in the U.S., on August 21, 2017, the skies darkened as the moon crossed in front of the …