Devil Horns, Ducks, Dragons: What Do You See in the Power Curve?

(Bloomberg) -- In Europe, they’re calling it the devil’s horns:

In California, it’s been known for years as the duck curve:

Energy nerds love drawing shapes out of power curves as much as kids love spotting them in the clouds. But they’re all really just another way of saying the ever-growing, midday surge in solar power is reshaping power markets and the supply and demand balance that grid operators are finding it increasingly challenging to maintain.

The latest shape folks are seeing? The dragon curve. That’s how people are describing a chart the California Energy Commission recently posted, showing the ups and downs in power demand that may come from electric cars charging at various times of the day.

What will we come up with next?

--With assistance from Rachel Morison and Mark Chediak

To contact the reporter on this story: Lynn Doan in San Francisco at ldoan6@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Lynn Doan at ldoan6@bloomberg.net, Margot Habiby, Will Wade

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