[MattPalmer1086]

You characterise massively distributed power generation as a single point of failure for each house? Even though they also have the grid?

I don't think you know what single point of failure means. This is the opposite of a single point of failure architecture.

[jacquesm]

Almost but not quite. These are mandated to shut down in case the grid fails. There are installations that go into island mode in that case but these are a lot more expensive to set up if you want to pass inspection.

[akoboldfrying]

I agree that GP's take is broadly wrong, but there is a sense in which it does introduce a single point of failure: the sun. If everyone has solar panels, an overcast day zaps an entire city/region.

[watwut]

They have normal grid too and also batteries exist. Also, these houses normally exist during the night and during the winter when days are short.

Overcast day zapping whole region is made up issue here.

[akoboldfrying]

All this really only shows that the single point of failure fails quite regularly, to varying degrees.

It reminds us that widespread personal solar panel deployment reduces the total amount of centrally generated energy required, but doesn't even make a dent in the max capacity, which is much more important in terms of deciding infrastructure investment.

[watwut]

You really do not know what single point of failure is ... do you?

[akoboldfrying]

It's clear from context that "failure" here means a state that is no better than if there were no solar panels at all, i.e., complete dependence on central generation.