California is curtailing more solar power than ever before. Curtailment is deliberately reducing output

[Caribbeans]

California is curtailing more solar power than ever before

Curtailment, or deliberately reducing output, rises as solar generation exceeds available transmission capacity.

PV MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 31, 2023 | RYAN KENNEDY

Curtailment of renewable energy, particularly solar generation, is steadily on the rise in California, as reported by the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

In 2022, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) curtailed 2.4 million MWh of solar and wind generation. Solar accounts for 95% of that total.

As intermittent solar generation increases, a lack of available transmission infrastructure or energy storage capacity is causing temporary gluts of generation. Curtailment occurs either when there is congestion, when power lines don’t have enough capacity to deliver the power, or during oversupply, when electricity generation exceeds customer demand.

In California, curtailment is largely a result of congestion, said EIA. Congestion-related curtailments have been steadily on the rise since 2019 as solar generation additions outpace transmission and storage additions.



CAISO tends to curtail solar the most in the spring when electricity demand is generally low due to moderate temperatures and production is relatively high due to sunnier conditions....more
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2023/10/31/california-is-curtailing-more-solar-power-than-ever-before/

How to store excess or curtailed renewable energy

[OKIsItJustMe]

1. NREL: The Four Phases of Storage Deployment: A Framework for the Expanding Role of Storage in the U.S. Power System

https://democraticunderground.com/1127169927