China to increase PV curtailment
China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) and State Grid Corp. of China (SGCC) may ramp up PV curtailment to clear up space for new renewables projects that are struggling to obtain grid connections. Only up to 5% of PV output can currently be curtailed from solar plants, but the authorities are trying to decide whether to take a greater percentage of generation offline.
Texas curtailed 9% of solar generation in 2022
Transmission and energy storage limitations in Texas resulted in wasted renewable energy last year.
Residential PV curtailment rising in Netherlands
Dutch utility Liander said this week that the number of curtailment events for residential PV systems more than tripled in the first half of this year, and urged owners of rooftop arrays to expand electricity consumption during peak hours.
Japan’s Okinawa prefecture curtails solar generation for first time
Japan’s Okinawa Electric Power Co. has introduced PV curtailment measures in response to high solar radiation levels and low energy demand.
Spain curtails PV for first time
The Spanish authorities applied solar curtailment for the first time on Easter Sunday, when power generation exceeded demand and the wholesale electricity price went from €168.50 ($182)/MWh to just €3.70/MWh.
South Australian rooftop solar switched off in search for stability
The search for power system security has sparked an Australian first with the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) confirming South Australian energy authorities switched off 67 MW of rooftop and large-scale solar PV at the weekend when electricity demand plunged to a near-record low.
