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China curtailed up to 360 TWh of solar and wind in first half

Curtailments rose 49% year over year to as much as 360 terawatt-hours, according to a CREA and GEM report.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Energy Transition

China’s grid constraints and higher coal-fired power generation have driven sharp increases in curtailments of solar and wind electricity, according to a report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) and Global Energy Monitor (GEM), cited by OilPrice.

The organizations said China curtailed as much as 360 terawatt-hours (TWh) of solar and wind generation between January and June, up 49% from a year earlier.

The report argues that power from the curtailed clean generation would have been enough to cover China’s electricity demand growth in the first half of 2026, while also supporting lower coal output.

OilPrice also highlighted concerns from Wood Mackenzie, which said renewable curtailment could threaten income stability alongside power price swings, and projected average wind and solar curtailment rates will exceed 5% in multiple provinces over the next decade.

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