The surge in rooftop solar installations, which has been a driving force behind China’s global leadership in renewable energy, is facing a new hurdle.
Several regions, including three cities and counties in Hubei and Fujian provinces, have recently declared that their existing power infrastructure cannot accommodate additional distributed solar generation.
This includes small-scale arrays of panels installed on homes or industrial facilities.
This issue compounds the challenges, with approximately 150 locations nationwide also having reached their maximum capacity, as reported by the industry publication Photovoltaic Energy Circle.
These challenges underscore the responsibilities confronting Chinese officials in maintaining the rapid momentum of the country’s transition to green energy.
Following years of swift expansion in renewable generation, especially in solar power, there is a pressing requirement to enhance regional grids and expand energy storage infrastructure, as emphasized by Tianyi Zhao, a solar analyst at BloombergNEF in Beijing.
China’s network of distributed solar resources surpasses the combined solar capacity, encompassing all project types, in the United States.
The rapid surge in installations has led to predictions that the world’s leading emitter may reach a peak in emissions this year.
However, numerous significant industrial centers are currently grappling with challenges in effectively managing the influx of clean energy.
Bloomberg Intelligence suggests that China might increase its reliance on coal and gas-fired power generation in the first half, particularly if an El Nino dry spell adversely affects hydroelectric capacity, posing an elevated risk for Yangtze Power.
The turbulence in some of the highly anticipated energy-transition metals is causing disruptions in the mining sector, stalling projects, disrupting deals, and sparking a rush for cash that is anticipated to have lasting effects on the industry.
China has reduced import tariffs on South Africa’s rooibos tea by up to 80%.
[…] rapid growth of renewable energy poses challenges for China’s grid space, which is struggling to keep up. Certain areas lack the necessary infrastructure to handle […]