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Published on: January 19, 2017

Original title: 2016年西北区域新能源并网运行情况通报
Links: Original source (in Chinese) (link).

In 2016, newly installed wind power capacity in the five northwestern provinces (regions) was of 6.813 GW. By year-end 2016, cumulative grid-connected capacity was 43.29 GW, accounting for 19.6% of installed capacity from all sources of power generation。in 2016, wind power generation was 52.464 TWh, accounting for 8.4% of total power generation；Average productivity was 1,424 full-load hours. Curtailment was 26.23 TWh, or 33.34%。Between the five northwestern provinces (regions), operational performance is worst in Gansu, Xinjiang, and Ningxia, where wind curtailment rates were 43.11%, 38.37% and 13.05%。In addition, the wind curtailment rate was 6.61% in Shaanxi, whilst no curtailment occurred in Qinghai。

In 2016, newly installed PV capacity in the five northwestern provinces (regions) was of 10.11 GW. By year-end 2016, cumulative grid-connected capacity was 30.37 GW, accounting for 13.8% of installed capacity from all sources of power generation。In 2016, total PV power generation was 28.717 TWh, accounting for 4.57% of the total power generation；Average productivity was 1,151 full-load hours. Curtailment was 7.04 TWh, or 19.81%。Between the five northwestern provinces (regions), operational performance is worst in Xinjiang, and Gansu, where PV curtailment rates were 32.23% and 30.45%。In addition, the PV curtailment rate in Ningxia was 7.15%, and 8.33% in Qinghai. Shaanxi had its first occurrence of PV curtailment, at 6.89%。

When viewed from the perspective of market supply and demand, there was excessive growth of installed capacity of renewable energy sources in the northwest region, whilst there was a slowdown in power demand growth. In Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, demand in 2016 peaked at a maximum load of 11.52 GW, whilst installed capacity of modern renewables was 13.375 GW；In Gansu, demand peaked at a maximum load of 13.391 GW, whilst installed capacity of modern renewables was 19.574 GW；In Xinjiang Autonomous Region, demand peaked at a maximum load of 26.03 GW, whilst installed capacity of modern renewables was 24.774 GW. All of this capacity of modern renewables was connected to the grid belonging to the Xinjiang Electric Power Company, whilst this part of the grid accounts for less than 50% of total demand load within the Xinjiang Autonomous Region。

Viewed from the perspective of grid operating, the main reasons for the curtailment of modern renewables include：the distribution of modern renewable is relativity concentrated, and there is insufficient peaking capacity；the construction of inter-provincial export transmission lines does not match the pace of construction of power generation sources, and the inter-provincial export transmission is limited；there are weak links in the power grid, and in some areas consumption is affected by grid constraints, etc。

2016 Northwest China new energy operational statistics

Unit：MW, GWh

Province (region)	Grid-connected capacity, year-end 2016		2016 Cumulative		2016 productivity (full-load hours)		2016 Cumulative		wind/PV curtailment rate
			Power production				wind/PV curtailment
	Wind power	PV	Wind power	PV	Wind power	PV	Wind power	PV	Wind power	PV
Shaanxi	2,679	2,784	2,826	1,965	1,900	1,459	199	140	6.61%	6.89%
Gansu	12,773	6,801	13,762	5,930	1,124	1,043	10,379	2,578	43.11%	30.45%
Qinghai	666	6,809	1,023	5,948	1,727	1,428	—	813	0%	8.33%
Ningxia	8,371	5,004	12,869	5,238	1,594	1,338	1,932	403	11.05%	7.15%
Xinjiang	18,798	5,976	21,984	6,635	1,558	974	13,715	3,108	38.37%	32.23%
Total	43,287	30,374	52,464	28,717	1,424	1,151	26,225	7,042	33.34%	19.81%