Intermittency — Science definition
The tendency of some renewable sources — especially solar and wind — to produce power only when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing, rather than on demand.
Where it is taught
- Renewable Energy — Energy, Water & Material Resources, Physics & Environmental Science, Grade 12
In use
And planning around intermittency is the central engineering challenge of a renewable future.
Renewable Energy
Questions using intermittency
Problem 1
'Intermittency' means that a power source...
- only produces power when its natural input, like sun or wind, is available
- produces exactly the same output every hour of the day
- can never be stored in any form
- releases greenhouse gases as it runs
Answer and explanation
only produces power when its natural input, like sun or wind, is available
Intermittent sources such as solar and wind generate power only when the sun shines or the wind blows, not on demand.