China's Renewable Paradox: Record Power Waste as Coal and Oil Security Take Priority

China wasted enough clean energy in six months to power all of Mexico, as grid bottlenecks and pro-coal policies force operators to curtail 360 terawatt-hours of solar and wind generation. The curtailment rate hit 26.1% in the first half of 2026—nearly 50% higher than last year—exposing the collision between China’s world-leading renewable buildout and its legacy energy system. The curtailed power could have met all of China’s electricity demand growth and allowed...