California's clean energy continues to be squandered at an increasing rate
In a notable trend, California, a state known for its high renewable energy production, particularly solar power, has seen a significant increase in the curtailment of renewable energy in recent years. According to an analysis by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, curtailments in California increased by 29% in 2022 compared to 2023, while the state added only about 12% more utility-scale solar capacity.
Curtailment, the reduction of power plant output, is common in states like California that have high renewable energy production. The majority of the curtailment was due to solar power production exceeding the grid's capacity to handle it. This trend of increasing curtailments despite slower growth in renewable generation capacity is noteworthy in California.
California faces significant federal policy headwinds in sustaining the battery boom for utility-scale storage. Nevertheless, the sector for utility-scale storage in California has grown rapidly in recent years, with California having installed more utility-scale storage than any other state, boasting a total of 13.2 GW of utility-scale storage online as of last month.
To stop wasting clean electricity, California needs to place bets on other solutions like transmission and long-duration energy storage, enhancing grid infrastructure to manage solar power variability, deploying distributed generation (rooftop solar), and integrating demand response programs. Major solar project developers in the Mojave Desert region and utilities focusing on grid modernization are among the companies and institutions involved in these efforts.
California can support the construction of interstate transmission lines to export more power to states with less solar generation. Additionally, the state can continue to push buildings, vehicles, and industrial operations to electrify to create more demand for solar power. Reducing curtailments and using more of the clean power generated in California is important, as California is behind on its climate goals.
The rapid rollout of AI data centers across the country is increasing power demand, which could further exacerbate the issue of renewable energy curtailments in California. For more detailed information on this topic, please refer to our "Chart of the week" column on our website. The analysis of this data was conducted by the U.S. Energy Information Administration from data provided by California's grid operator.
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