Brussels, 19 European solar and renewable energy associations along with SolarPower Europe have written an open letter to the European Commission, urging expanded power grids and more investment in flexible generation to meet rising energy demand.
Addressed to EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson, the letter titled “Curtailment, not flexibility is the waste” points out that solar power is facing twin challenges of curtailment and price volatility.
Curtailment refers to the deliberate reduction of solar power output to balance electricity supply and demand, which is becoming more prevalent across Europe. Last year, curtailment occurred in Spain, the Czech Republic and Poland, exposing solar generation to early shutdown risks due to its flexibility.
The letter puts forward four recommendations:
1. Upgrade power infrastructure to accommodate solar intermittency;
2. Accelerate permitting, deployment and digitalization to shorten commissioning time;
3. Promote flexible resources and fund hybrid solar projects;
4. Establish grid economics framework to attract investment. Implementing these proposals requires extensive collaboration among stakeholders. A previous study found huge potential for solar PV on European farmlands.
