Wildfires and Smoke Lead to Major Drop in Solar Power Generation in North America

Smoke from Canada’s wildfires has caused solar power generation in the northeast United States to drop by more than 50%, according to ISO New England. Solar power accounts for around 3% of electricity generation in New England, with natural gas and nuclear the biggest sources. The smoke has also lowered actual temperatures in New England, leading to lower demand on the regional grid. The plunge in solar power generation combined with the lower temperatures as a result of the smoke makes forecasting demand for the grid challenging, according to ISO New England.