This was a record-breaking week for California. On May 23, according to the California Independent System Operator, the agency that tracks and operates most of the state's power grid, solar generation reached a peak of 1,872 megawatts. That record didn't stand for long, however, as the next day proved even better. A mere 23.5 hours after that record was set, California reached a new peak of 1,897 megawatts. Not content to let solar have all the week's glory, California's wind energy picked up the pace this week as well, reaching a peak of 4,258 megawatts on May 26, or about 16% of the state's demand. KCET reports:
As of Tuesday both sources have dropped back down to levels we've seen before, in the 1,600s for solar and 3,100s for wind […] It's also worth remembering that these totals count only that energy that flows into CaISO's power grid. Renewable generation that's on the consumer side of the electric meter, mainly rooftop solar but also including a few microwind turbines here and there, don't get noticed by the grid except as reduced demand.
Read more here.