China Leads in Renewable Energy Waste as Grids Struggle to Cope
China is highlighting a growing problem in the global transition to renewable energy: electricity grids are struggling to absorb rapidly expanding supplies of renewable power. In the first six months of this year, China discarded about 360 TWh of clean energy. This figure is nearly 50% higher than figures from last year and makes up enough power to meet Mexico’s needs for a whole year. Renewable energy curtailment occurs when electricity from wind or solar projects is deliberately reduced because the grid cannot accommodate the available supply. The issue is becoming increasingly widespread and highlights why fossil fuels remain important in some power systems despite rapid renewable-energy growth. China’s difficulties are linked largely to limited transmission capacity and arrangements that prioritize electricity from newly constructed coal plants. Wood Mackenzie analyst Yuan…
