There is a big difference between producing enough power on average and having power when you want it. Going 100% off grid is possible in Chicago but I doubt it's cost effective. Staying grid connected is offloading all the difficult parts to your electric company.

Yeah, that’s their job, the hard part. You don’t get a free return on equity. Orchestrate power across a distributed system of load, generators, and storage or let someone competent do it and earn that margin.

Sure, but the point is actually doing the hard part means a different approach is needed.

And don't be surprised when electric companies pay a lower rate for solar from you as they charge to supply you with power.

You mean like this?

https://reneweconomy.com.au/queensland-to-add-more-than-a-do...

> “The new batteries will be spread across major centres in regional Queensland near communities that have significant rooftop solar generation because we know that’s where they will have the greatest overall benefit.

> “The network of the future will not only need to move electricity from where it is generated to where it’s going to be used, but also to when it’s consumed.”

And sure, utilities can buy power from consumers at a lower cost than they charge for power, but that only works until batteries decline to a cost point where consumers simply replace their utilities with batteries. Is that today? Not yet! But with the amount of battery manufacturing capacity spooling up for EVs and utility scale storage, that day will arrive.

Not during night time.

It probably could with enough batteries and panels, but it's probably a very expensive setup.