New Energy

India Curtails More Solar Power as Grid Grapples With Oversupply

Workers install solar panels at a renewable energy park in Khavda, Gujarat, India.

Photographer: Sumit Dayal/Bloomberg

India’s power grid is struggling to absorb a surge in solar power installations, leading to more curtailment that threatens the build-out of renewables and underscores the need for energy storage.

The curtailment rate for solar generation in October rose to about 12%, the highest since May when Grid Controller of India Ltd. started publishing the data. On some days, about 40% of solar power output was denied access to the national network. Curtailments measure how much electricity was generated without finding its way to customers.