Overview
- A joint report by Global Energy Monitor and CREA estimates China rejected 360 terawatt‑hours of wind and solar from January to June 2026, equal to about 26.1% of its output and far above the National Energy Administration’s lower national figures.
- China’s grid data transparency has narrowed because the regulator stopped publishing province‑level curtailment in March, which independent analysts say understates how much clean power is being lost.
- Analysts point to two main causes: inadequate high‑capacity transmission to move electricity from large western wind and solar zones to eastern demand centers, and contract and capacity‑payment rules that guarantee sales for new coal plants.
- The mismatch is changing markets: new solar installations in China have fallen sharply this year and investors are shifting toward projects that pair panels with batteries so surplus midday power can be stored and used later.
- Curtailment is rising in other countries too, with Australia, Japan and India reporting large increases, and experts say faster rollouts of co‑located batteries and major grid upgrades are the practical ways to cut wasted clean energy.