Base load exists on the consumer side and unless energy storage ramps up 1000-10000x across the world, I don't see how solar and wind could ever cover it until then. Human power usage patterns don't change that much because we don't change much. You need to be able to provide X energy at all times, no ifs and buts.
Actually, there is one thing, we need super capable and reliable super long distance power grid connections, maybe there's some progress on this front?
Because solar and wind absolutely are unreliable on a local front.
With HVDC and UHVDC lines there are progress on the transmission front. The main question though is the economical race between geographically decoupling your renewable power supply versus storage, this is something we will see play out in the next 10-15 years.
China recently finished a 3300 km UHVDC line from Xinjiang to the east coast with an expected loss of 1.5% per 1000 km.
Energy storage is not a problem in the long term. Making sure that polluting power plants only run 10% of the time is a short term problem that has a solution today.
Actually, there is one thing, we need super capable and reliable super long distance power grid connections, maybe there's some progress on this front?
Because solar and wind absolutely are unreliable on a local front.