The problem with renewables and storage is that you need to...

The problem with renewables and storage is that you need to waste power to have them operating properly.

Off grid installations, be it a small datalogger or an off-grid house will always waste power. When the batteries are full, the solar controller starts cutting back how much power goes into them, the power is thus wasted.

A utility with lots of renewable energy and storage to support it has the same problem. A system with suitable backup storage for inclement weather will always waste power during times of good sun and wind. When the storage is full, the system must ask generators to curtail their output.

Future money to be made is in storage. That's why I praise any releases announcing a move into batteries.

Having said all that, we're a long way off a grid at that point.