Foreign Media: Insufficient grid capacity worldwide is exacerbating the problem of renewable energy curtailment
In the first half of 2026, China's curtailed power generation reached 360 terawatt-hours, a 49% year-on-year increase, accounting for 26.1% of total wind and solar power generation—enough to power Mexico for a full year. The main reasons are inadequate transmission infrastructure and the prioritized dispatching of newly contracted coal-fired power plants.
This structural issue has caused a sharp 66% drop in China's new photovoltaic installations and may trigger a rebound in coal power generation.
Nations including Australia, Japan, and India are also facing similar challenges: Australia’s curtailed electricity surged 37% to 2.93 terawatt-hours, Japan’s increased by 34% to 2.35 terawatt-hours, and India’s solar curtailment rate reached 14% in the second quarter.
Experts emphasize that accelerating the deployment of energy storage facilities is key to alleviating curtailment. Chile’s approach—adding 4 gigawatt-hours of battery capacity alongside new solar power plants—is a model worth emulating.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1873782467564556/
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