No, solar energy generation is currently dependent on sunlight and can only generate electricity during the day. Other external factors like clouds and shading can affect the generation potential of a system. When paired with an energy storage system, any extra generated energy can be kept and used when needed rather than being used immediately as it was generated. Interestingly, in a recent development to this frequently asked question about commercial solar; a team of engineers at Stanford University have developed a solar cell that can generate some electricity at night by incorporating a thermoelectric generator.