Oversupply of solar container battery farms

Negative Pricing in California (surplus solar at work)

In the last 12 months, California''s solar farms have curtailed production of more than 3 million megawatt hours of solar energy, either on the orders of the state''s grid operator or

2025 Jan 04

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Solar power glut in California is a bane here, but a boon elsewhere

In the last 12 months, California''s solar farms have curtailed production of more than 3 million megawatt-hours of solar energy, either on the orders of the state''s grid operator

2025 Mar 05

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The Challenges of California''s Solar Boom

The US Energy Information Administration reports that in 2024, CAISO curtailed 3.4 million megawatt-hours (MWh) of solar and

2025 Apr 29

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Too much solar? How California found itself with an unexpected

According to Independent System Operator data, in recent years, the amount of renewable energy curtailed, or wasted, has skyrocketed from both oversupply and so-called

2025 Jul 13

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Why Storage Is Helping Manage Oversupply in California, but Not

The rapidly growing fleet of battery energy storage resources on the California grid is helping the state meet peak demand and get through summer, but is not reducing the

2025 Mar 03

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Why Storage Is Helping Manage Oversupply in

The rapidly growing fleet of battery energy storage resources on the California grid is helping the state meet peak demand and get

2025 Jan 29

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California Utilities Produce More Solar Energy Than the State

Solar farms are being shut off, losing more than twice as much potential power than in 2021. The surplus would be worse if utilities weren''t paying other states to take some of the

2025 Apr 28

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California''s Solar Power Problem: Oversupply Wastes Millions of

While the state''s solar farms have revolutionized clean energy production, the lack of infrastructure to store and deliver power effectively has created an ironic problem: too much

2025 Jan 13

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California''s Solar Power Problem: Oversupply

While the state''s solar farms have revolutionized clean energy production, the lack of infrastructure to store and deliver power effectively

2025 Jun 24

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How America Can Leverage Its Battery Oversupply for Global Gains

US battery oversupply offers an opportunity to expand into new markets, counter Chinese dominance, and secure long-term energy competitiveness.

2025 May 01

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How America Can Leverage Its Battery Oversupply

US battery oversupply offers an opportunity to expand into new markets, counter Chinese dominance, and secure long-term energy

2025 Jul 10

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Too much solar? How California found itself with

According to Independent System Operator data, in recent years, the amount of renewable energy curtailed, or wasted, has

2025 Jul 11

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The Challenges of California''s Solar Boom

The US Energy Information Administration reports that in 2024, CAISO curtailed 3.4 million megawatt-hours (MWh) of solar and wind power—a 29% increase from 2023,

2025 Feb 23

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California can''t use all its solar power. That''s a huge problem.

According to the Times, oversupply has occasionally gotten so bad in California that the prices go negative, forcing solar plants to pay energy traders to take it off their hands.

2025 Jun 15

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California can''t use all its solar power. That''s a

According to the Times, oversupply has occasionally gotten

2025 Feb 28

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How California is Tackling Its Surplus Solar Energy Challenge

California''s push toward clean energy has led to an unexpected challenge: an oversupply of solar energy. At times, the state generates more solar power than it can use,

2025 Jan 03

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3 FAQs about Oversupply of solar container battery farms

Is California oversupply of solar power causing problems?

A new analysis by Los Angeles Times staff writer Melody Petersen found major problems in the state’s current solar economy. Oversupply of solar power is causing California’s operators to regularly halt production or even pay electricity traders to take power off their hands. Sometimes, other states snag the extra energy for cheap.

Are solar farms being shut off?

Solar farms are being shut off, losing more than twice as much potential power than in 2021. The surplus would be worse if utilities weren’t paying other states to take some of the excess. Westlands Solar Park, near the town of Lemoore in the San Joaquin Valley.

How do solar farms make money?

An even bigger source of revenue for solar farms is the so-called renewable energy credit, or REC, Ackerman and others say. Producers of renewable energy get one REC for each megawatt hour they put on the grid. Companies buy the RECs, allowing them to take credit for the environmental benefits of that megawatt hour of solar.