24-Hour Solar Energy Becomes Economically Viable in the World’s Sunniest Regions

**24-Hour Solar Now Economically Viable for the World’s Sunniest Regions**
*21 June 2025*

A recent report from Ember, a global energy think tank, reveals that batteries have become affordable enough to harness the full potential of solar power. Due to rapidly decreasing battery prices, solar energy can now provide cost-competitive electricity nearly every hour of the year in the sunniest regions of the world.

The report utilizes hourly solar data from 12 cities globally, showing that in exceptionally sunny places such as Las Vegas, a combination of 6 GW of solar panels and 17 GWh of battery storage can reliably generate 1 GW of electricity almost continuously throughout the year. This model of “24/365 solar generation” is now priced at just $104/MWh, based on the global average capital costs for solar and batteries in 2024. This represents a remarkable 22% decrease in price over just 12 months, making it cheaper than new coal ($118/MWh) and nuclear energy ($182/MWh) in many regions.

The findings illustrate the feasibility of achieving nearly constant solar electricity throughout the year, showcasing the real-world potential of “24/365 solar generation” in various geographical contexts. Las Vegas topped the list with solar availability for 97% of hours annually, closely followed by Muscat at 99%. Other cities, including Hyderabad, Madrid, and Buenos Aires, also demonstrated strong results, achieving 80-95% of the capacity for continuous solar generation, despite occasional cloud cover. Even cities with less sunlight, such as Birmingham in the UK, managed to cover 62% of hours annually.

This development presents a transformative opportunity for emerging economies in sunny regions like Africa and Latin America. With solar-plus-storage solutions, large electricity consumers such as manufacturers and data centers can be powered directly where sunlight is most abundant, eliminating the need to wait for costly grid expansions or connections. While it may not address all grid-related challenges, this strategy allows solar to become the cornerstone of clean energy in sunny areas, significantly increasing its role elsewhere compared to scenarios without battery storage. Additionally, it can reduce grid expansion costs by enabling up to five times more solar energy to be utilized on existing infrastructure, postponing expensive upgrades.

This marks a pivotal moment in the clean energy transition. Around-the-clock solar has transformed from a distant aspiration into an economic reality globally. It opens up significant opportunities for energy-intensive industries, such as data centers and manufacturing.

Kostantsa Rangelova, a Global Electricity Analyst at Ember, emphasizes that the significant drop in battery prices has made 24-hour solar generation a tangible prospect. In 2024 alone, global battery costs decreased by 40%, contributing to a 22% reduction in the overall cost of solar-plus-storage solutions. With exceptionally low tenders emerging from regions like Saudi Arabia, even more affordable clean electricity may soon become available.

Real-world projects, such as the world’s first gigawatt-scale 24-hour solar facility in the United Arab Emirates and solar-powered data centers in Arizona, demonstrate that continuous solar generation is already achievable. As battery costs continue to decline and technology evolves, coupled with the right policy support and investments, solar-plus-storage can become the foundation of clean, reliable, and affordable electricity systems in the sunniest regions of the world, unlocking the true potential of solar power.