Not really much lower as you'd like to portray it. http://www.solstats.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/chart1...
Solar only works if you can produce energy and use it locally. As distance increases the energy loss is significant.
A LOT of the higher usage at night is due to the fact that night-time electricity is cheaper.
If you're going to run an aluminum smelting plant, for instance (uses TONS of electricity), it currently makes sense to run it full bore when electricity is cheapest - at night.
If daytime electricity were cheaper or even the same price, that graph would certainly look differently to how you're portraying it.
>Solar only works if you can produce energy and use it locally. As distance increases the energy loss is significant.
Much like with every other form of energy. Surplus solar gets exported right now - Germany sends it to France.
Mind you, both could be perfectly possible in the messed-up EEC energy market.
I think during summer they might import more too. During overcast and wind-free days, Germany is probably a net importer of France's excess nuclear power.
Demand is reduced almost by half at night.