China Province Has Too Much Solar Power for Lunar New Year
- Shandong orders rooftop panels to switch off during holiday
- Distributed solar boomed after China passed supportive policy
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China’s biggest region for solar power is ordering households to switch off rooftop panels during the Lunar New Year holiday so they don’t overwhelm the grid during a period of low demand.
Shandong province is forcing low-voltage distributed solar generation to stop operating from Jan. 19 to 28, Solarbe reported, citing a notice issued by local authorities. Electricity demand typically drops during the holiday as factories shut and workers return home, while some coal power plants need to keep operating because they also provide heat to keep homes warm in the winter.