India’s power demand is surging, but some solar energy is going to waste

India is rapidly expanding its renewable energy capacity, but its power grid is struggling to absorb all the clean electricity being generated. During the peak summer period, electricity demand surged as hotter nights increased air-conditioning use, while some renewable energy producers were instructed to reduce output because the grid could not safely accommodate additional power.

Over the past 15 months, India curtailed nearly 11 TWh of solar generation, according to government data and research from energy think tank Ember. This amount of unused solar electricity could have powered around 10 million homes.

India now has more than 300 GW of clean energy capacity, representing over half of its total installed electricity capacity. However, renewable sources can potentially generate nearly half of the country's electricity while supplying only about a quarter of actual grid demand, highlighting the growing gap between renewable generation potential and grid capacity.

The main challenge is curtailment, which occurs when wind or solar plants are forced to reduce generation because the grid cannot absorb the electricity. Rapid solar generation during the afternoon can be particularly challenging because coal-fired power plants are relatively inflexible and cannot quickly reduce their output.

Energy experts say India now needs to move beyond simply adding renewable generation. More transmission infrastructure, battery storage and a more flexible power system will be essential to shift clean electricity to periods of higher demand and reduce renewable energy wastage.