Curtailment: Europe throws 4,260 million of wind power and photovoltaic energy through the grid

Green energy discharges reach historic highs and are now equivalent to all Spanish photovoltaic production in three months

European electricity networks cannot cope. The huge amount of new renewable power to meet ambitious decarbonization goals is putting stale electricity transmission systems in a difficult position. Transportation, through electrical networks that are clearly insufficient, needs modernization and development that, for now, is not coming.

Spain, which boasts its renewable leadership supported by optimal geographical and meteorological conditions, is one of the countries most affected by the phenomenon of energy discharges, generated but which cannot be accumulated or integrated into the network.

The so-called curtailment implies a waste of energy or renewable production below potential capacity as a result of grid congestion. The consequences of these discharges do not exclusively translate into technical and operational problems, but also carry severe economic and environmental implications.

According to a recent report by the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER), more than 12 terawatt hours of electricity from renewable energy sources will be cut in the European Union during 2023 due to grid congestion, with an economic cost of no less than 4,260 million euros.
Germany leads the podium

The wasted energy is equivalent to all the Spanish photovoltaic production corresponding to three months and reached a historical maximum that will increase if the insufficient development of infrastructure is not remedied.

Although Germany leads the podium in European discharges, with 4% of energy waste, Spain is not far behind and occupies third place with a rate of 1.8% of wasted energy, 134,321 gigawatt hours in 2023.

Although the percentage is still considered “manageable”, the European regulators’ association warns that each megawatt-hour of renewable energy wasted is largely replaced by energy from fossil fuels – mainly gas, but also coal -, aggravating environmental problems. and contravening the objectives of the energy transition.