Energy production being local is a benefit.

Just like the fediverse being unaffected by some servers going down. Deliberately or accidentally, doesn't matter, the rest will keep up.

Smaller production is also easier to scale up. You can erect a solar farm in a month or shorter, while a nuclear power plant takes a decade to build.

Batteries.

Batteries plus solar is still cheaper than all other power systems. It's remarkable but true.

But solar is unreliable.

Which is why you add storage and wind to the mix. Overproduce energy when it's available and store the leftovers for when you under-produce.

At this point, saying Solar doesn't work at night is kind of like saying cars don't work without wheels. No one is getting solar without storage, just like no one is driving a car without wheels.

Why do you think solar has to be local?

Yep, the unreliability is exactly why buying from 100% green energy providers is more expensive than buying from natural gas providers. Batteries are extremely expensive, natural gas is cheap.

Source: Several of my friends live in states with energy provider choice; the green providers cost more.