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Circular on curtailment of hydro, wind and solar PV in Q1-3 of 2017
Original title: 国家能源局综合司关于2017年前三季度缓解弃水弃风弃光状况的通报 国能综通新能〔2017〕100号
Links: Source document (in Chinese) (link).
NEA, General Affairs Dept. New Energy〔2017〕No. 100
National Energy Administration, General Affairs Dept.
Circular on curtailment of hydro, wind and solar PV in Q1-3 of 2017
To the Development and Reform Commissions (Energy Administrations) of provinces, autonomous regions and directly-controlled municipalities and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, branch organizations of the National Energy Administration, State Grid Corporation, China Southern Power Grid Company, and Inner Mongolia Electric Power Company：
Effective mitigation of curtailment of hydro, wind, and PV power generation is an important task laid out in the 2017 "Government Work Report", and is essential for the promotion of sustainable and healthy development of the renewable energy industry。Since the beginning of this year, all provinces (autonomous regions, directly-controlled municipalities) and power grid enterprises have earnestly implemented the requirements of the "Government Work Report", have increased efforts to take various measures to expand renewable electricity consumption, and have already achieved some success. However, they are still confronted with great pressure to achieve effective year-round alleviation of curtailment of hydro, wind, and PV power generation。Here, developments in alleviating the curtailment of hydro, wind, and PV power generation in the first three quarters of 2017 are reported on, and corresponding requirements for achieving good year-round results are put forward。
1. Initial results have been achieved in resolving curtailment of hydro, wind, and PV power generation
In the first three quarters of this year, the curtailment of hydro, wind, and PV power generation throughout the country has somewhat improved. Overall levels of renewable electricity consumption have gradually increased。Hydropower curtailment has been reduced by 3.5 TWh compared with the same period last year; productivity of hydropower in Southwest China increased by 2 percentage points；curtailment of wind has been reduced by 10.3 TWh, with curtailment rates falling by 6.7 percentage points；curtailment of PV has increased by 1.4 TWh, whilst curtailment rates dropped 4 percentage points。For statistics for the first three quarters on hydropower development and productivity in key areas and major rivers, as well as wind and PV power generation development and utilization in different provinces (autonomous regions, directly-controlled municipalities), see the annexes。
Winter is the most difficult period for wind and PV power consumption and utilization, with some areas facing pressure to curtail wind and PV。At the same time, influenced by strong late floods and other extreme weather events, there is still difficulty in consuming all hydropower in Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guangxi。Energy management departments at all levels and power grid enterprises should attach great importance to reducing curtailment of hydro, wind, and PV power generation, and spare no effort in taking effective measures. In 2017, all administrative areas should strive to achieve a "double reduction" in both the total amounts of curtailment as well as in curtailment rates of renewable power generation。
2. Increase efforts at local consumption of renewable energy
Xinjiang, Gansu, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Hebei and other administrative areas should, in combination with efforts at clean district heating in the northern region, expand clean district heating with wind power as soon as possible, and in accordance with the spirit of power sector reforms, through having wind power enterprises and electricity-based district heating providers engage in market-based electricity transactions with various kinds of electricity-based district heating users, realize wind power-based district heating that conforms with the direction of low-carbon development。Relevant provincial energy management departments should guide local governments in organizing wind power enterprises and electricity-based district heating providers, and establish a cooperation mechanism for wind power-based district heating supported by grid enterprises and electric power trading platforms。Xinjiang, Gansu, Inner Mongolia and other administrative areas with severe curtailment issues should urge captive power plant owners to participate in peak regulation and in consuming renewable energy, and through legitimate and compliant direct electricity trading or exchanges of power generation, expand the consumption of renewable energy by enterprises with captive power plants。Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guangxi shall promote electrification of local energy consumption through a variety of ways, and enhance the local capacity to consume renewable energy。
3. Expand inter-provincial exports and inter-provincial & inter-regional transactions of renewable electricity
All regional power grids should strengthen cross-provincial support and cross-provincial sharing of standby capacity, coordinate utilization of the areas' peaking capacity resources, and joint consumption of renewable electricity。Power grid enterprises should fully utilize the capacity of the Hami-Zhengzhou, Ningxia-Zhejiang, Jiuquan-Hunan and other inter-provincial transmission lines, and give priority to transmission of renewable electricity。The relevant regulatory agencies for energy shall conduct annual monitoring and evaluation of the proportion of renewable energy in inter-provincial power transmission lines。The State Grid Corporation, China Southern Power Grid Company, the Inner Mongolia Electric Power Company, etc. shall, together with electricity trading institutions, expand renewable electricity consumption in inter-provincial electricity spot market transactions。Local governments and power grid enterprises in Central and Eastern China, which have the capacity to consume renewable electricity, shall link local reductions of coal consumption with inputs of renewable electricity imports, take initiative in coordinating with local governments and power grid enterprises on the exporting end of inter-provincial or inter-regional power transmission lines, and give priority to expanding the consumption of renewable energy in the vacated electricity market space。
4. Establish a linking mechanism between renewable electricity consumption and new project construction
Energy management departments of all provinces (autonomous regions, directly-controlled municipalities) shall, together with other relevant departments and power grid enterprises, take effective measures to increase consumption of renewable energy sources in the winter season, and strive to achieve a "double reduction" in 2017 for total amounts of electricity curtailed and curtailment rates of wind and PV power generation。 Administrative regions that received a red early warning result shall significantly reduce curtailment and curtailment rates of wind and PV power generation, and strive to end red warning conditions as soon as possible；administrative regions that received a green early warning result shall ensure that curtailment and curtailment rates of wind and PV power generation do not increase；accelerate the establishment of an early warning mechanism for hydropower investment。For provinces (autonomous regions, directly-controlled municipalities) with curtailment rates of wind and PV exceeding 5%, for example because curtailment rates of wind and PV in 2017 increased greatly compared with the previous year, the 2018 annual construction quota for newly added wind and PV generation capacity will be reduced and construction will be halted, depending on local circumstances。
Annex：1. Hydropower productivity and curtailment statistics for key areas and main rivers (river sections) Q1-3 2017
2. Wind power productivity and curtailment statistics for Q1-3 2017
3. PV power productivity and curtailment statistics for Q1-3 2017
National Energy Administration, General Affairs Dept.
November 9, 2017
Annex 1
Hydropower productivity and curtailment statistics for key areas and main rivers (river sections) Q1-3 2017
| Key provinces | Electricity production | Hydropower curtailment | Hydropower capacity factor (%) |
| (GWh) | (GWh) | ||
| Sichuan | 233,350 | 12,380 | 88 |
| Guangxi | 41,700 | 4,420 | 90.4 |
| Yunnan | 165,500 | 24,050 | 87.3 |
| Main rivers (river sections) | |||
| Yangtze River | 86,170 | 11 | 99.98 |
| Jinsha River, lower course | 70,810 | 4,120 | 94.5 |
| Jinsha River, middle course | 32,500 | 14,270 | 69.5 |
| Lancang River | 52,610 | 2,460 | 93.8 |
| Yalong River | 55,370 | 4,320 | 92.8 |
| Dadu River | 31,500 | 15,990 | 66.3 |
Notes：1. Data on curtailment of hydropower in Sichuan is for curtailment of peak regulating hydropower。
2. Source of the statistics is the China Electricity Council, power companies and the National Renewable Energy Information Management Center
Annex 2
Wind power productivity and curtailment statistics for Q1-3 2017
| Province | Total grid-connected capacity (MW) | Power generation (GWh) | Full load hours | Wind power curtailment (GWh) | Wind power curtailment rate (%) | Change in wind power curtailment rate (percentage point) | Curtailment risk |
| Total | 157,200 | 212,800 | 1,386 | 29,550 | |||
| Beijing | 190 | 200 | 1,284 | ||||
| Tianjin | 280 | 400 | 1,570 | ||||
| Hebei | 11,740 | 17,700 | 1,521 | 1,400 | 7 | -2 | |
| Shanxi | 8,420 | 10,500 | 1,287 | 940 | 8 | -1 | |
| Shandong | 9,970 | 11,500 | 1,267 | ||||
| Inner Mongolia | 26,330 | 37,700 | 1,432 | 5,910 | 14 | -7 | |
| Liaoning | 7,000 | 10,700 | 1,531 | 750 | 7 | -6 | |
| Jilin | 5,050 | 6,300 | 1,246 | 1,480 | 19 | -11 | |
| Heilongjiang | 5,680 | 7,600 | 1,351 | 1,050 | 12 | -7 | |
| Shanghai | 710 | 1,200 | 1,633 | ||||
| Jiangsu | 6,260 | 8,200 | 1,398 | ||||
| Zhejiang | 1,310 | 1,700 | 1,403 | ||||
| Anhui | 2,050 | 2,900 | 1,484 | ||||
| Fujian | 2,390 | 3,700 | 1,610 | ||||
| Jiangxi | 1,620 | 2,100 | 1,361 | ||||
| Henan | 1,890 | 2,000 | 1,199 | ||||
| Hubei | 2,380 | 3,600 | 1,578 | ||||
| Hunan | 2,470 | 3,500 | 1,504 | ||||
| Chongqing | 330 | 600 | 1,755 | ||||
| Sichuan | 1,590 | 2,500 | 1,761 | ||||
| Shaanxi | 2,290 | 2,900 | 1,459 | 140 | 4 | -3 | |
| Gansu | 12,770 | 13,600 | 1,068 | 6,740 | 33 | -10 | High |
| Qinghai | 1,010 | 1,300 | 1,453 | ||||
| Ningxia | 9,420 | 11,300 | 1,210 | 380 | 3 | -10 | |
| Xinjiang | 18,060 | 24,700 | 1,377 | 10,200 | 29 | -9 | High |
| Tibet | 10 | 0 | 1,165 | ||||
| Guangdong | 3,300 | 3,400 | 1,040 | ||||
| Guangxi | 1,260 | 1,500 | 1,489 | ||||
| Hainan | 310 | 400 | 1,189 | ||||
| Guizhou | 3,620 | 4,900 | 1,385 | ||||
| Yunnan | 7,490 | 14,200 | 1,897 | 570 | 4 |
Notes：1. The source of statistical data is the China Electricity Council, and power grid companies. Xinjiang includes XPCC；
2. The 'change in wind power curtailment rate' refers to the increase or decrease (percentage points), when compared with full year curtailment rates in 2016；
3. High curtailment risk indicates administrative areas with curtailment rates of 5% or more and rising, or to administrative areas where the curtailment rate is still over 20%。
Annex 3
PV power productivity and curtailment statistics for Q1-3 2017
| Province | Total grid-connected capacity (MW) | Power generation (GWh) | Full load hours | PV power curtailment (GWh) | PV curtailment rate (%) | Change in PV curtailment rate (percentage point) | Curtailment risk |
| Total | 120,440 | 85,700 | 800 | 5,100 | |||
| Beijing | 240 | 200 | 833 | ||||
| Tianjin | 660 | 500 | 782 | ||||
| Hebei | 7,490 | 5,600 | 990 | 70 | 1.3 | 0.8 | |
| Shanxi | 4,910 | 3,800 | 937 | 20 | 0.4 | 0.4 | |
| Shandong | 9,430 | 4,900 | 724 | 30 | 0.7 | 0.7 | |
| Inner Mongolia | 7,240 | 8,600 | 1,265 | 310 | 3.4 | -2.5 | |
| Liaoning | 1,650 | 700 | 833 | ||||
| Jilin | 1,460 | 900 | 907 | ||||
| Heilongjiang | 790 | 400 | 966 | ||||
| Shanghai | 500 | 200 | 430 | ||||
| Jiangsu | 8,350 | 6,100 | 867 | ||||
| Zhejiang | 7,190 | 4,100 | 752 | ||||
| Anhui | 7,990 | 4,400 | 741 | ||||
| Fujian | 840 | 400 | 526 | ||||
| Jiangxi | 4,250 | 2,100 | 618 | ||||
| Henan | 6,430 | 3,300 | 662 | ||||
| Hubei | 3,740 | 2,000 | 739 | ||||
| Hunan | 1,570 | 300 | 402 | ||||
| Chongqing | 90 | 0 | 418 | ||||
| Sichuan | 1,280 | 1,200 | 1,116 | ||||
| Shaanxi | 5,030 | 3,900 | 930 | 270 | 6.8 | 0.3 | High |
| Gansu | 7,780 | 5,400 | 825 | 1,410 | 20.9 | -9.2 | High |
| Qinghai | 7,850 | 8,200 | 1,123 | 480 | 5.5 | -2.8 | |
| Ningxia | 6,130 | 5,700 | 1,033 | 240 | 4.2 | -2.8 | |
| Xinjiang | 9,350 | 8,200 | 879 | 2,290 | 21.9 | -7.9 | High |
| Tibet | 790 | 440 | 675 | ||||
| Guangdong | 2,990 | 1,400 | 456 | ||||
| Guangxi | 600 | 200 | 668 | ||||
| Hainan | 320 | 300 | 916 | ||||
| Guizhou | 1,340 | 300 | 951 | ||||
| Yunnan | 2,140 | 2,100 | 986 | 20 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
Notes：1. The source of statistical data are power grid companies. Xinjiang includes XPCC；
2. The 'change in PV power curtailment rate' refers to the increase or decrease (percentage points), when compared with full year curtailment rates in 2016；
3. High curtailment risk indicates administrative areas with curtailment rates of 5% or more and rising, or to administrative areas where the curtailment rate is still over 10%。
