The power grid's solar and wind problem in China

Power grid will come under increasing pressure as China's renewables surge continues

Workers of grid operator China Southern Power Grid inspect power cables connecting transmission towers in Dongguan, China, in May 2018. © Reuters

YOU XIAOYING, Caixin

October 20, 2024 14:00 JST

As of August, China's wind and solar farms had a combined installed capacity of 1,206 gigawatts (GW), smashing a target the country had set for 2030. And its run of vigorous renewable energy expansion isn't over, according to a new International Energy Agency (IEA) report. But how easy is it to integrate renewable energy into the power grid?

China is expected to lead a global renewable boom through the next six years, driven by its explosive growth in solar installations, according to the Paris-based nongovernmental organization.