Reuters reported on Monday, citing the latest data from China, that China did not include figures for power plant utilization rates by source in its monthly data for May, following data from the previous month that showed a decline in renewable energy plant utilization rates.
China provided a breakdown of utilization rates for thermal, hydroelectric, nuclear, solar and wind power plants in a data series running through April 2024. The latest data showed that from January to April, the average utilization rate for wind and solar power plants decreased, while utilization rates for hydroelectric and thermal coal-fired power plants increased.
The latest data, covering January through May, does not break out power plant utilization rates by source, and the China Energy Administration, which publishes the data series, has never explained what prompted it to change the way the country reports power plant operations, Reuters reported.
Prior to May, China had limited renewable energy cuts to 5%, a reference to the curtailment issue of having to curtail excess clean energy to balance the power grid between supply and demand.
However, Chinese authorities raised the renewable energy curtailment limit from 5% to 10% at the end of May, a change that will likely further reduce the utilization rate of renewable energy plants.
According to Reuters, analysts expect the higher curtailment caps to lead to increased installation of renewable energy but lower utilization rates of solar and wind power plants.
Fitch Ratings said earlier this year that China is on track to reach its wind and solar capacity target of 1.2 terawatts (TW) by 2030 six years early, but this could pose challenges to utilization and the grid’s ability to maintain stability of power supply.
“Building out the transmission grid takes time and the ratio of electricity storage capacity to renewable energy capacity remains low,” Fitch said in a February report.
“This means that thermal generation will play a key role in stabilising the power system during the transition period.”
Article by Tsvetana Paraskova from Oilprice.com
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