Chinese carbon dioxide emissions rose 2% in the first quarter due to an increase in unused power generated by renewables, according to an analysis published Thursday on Carbon Brief.
Coal and gas usage for power generation grew in the same quarter despite a record amount of capacity for wind and solar power, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air lead analyst Lauri Myllyvirta said in the report.
An increase in reported curtailment due to inflexible management of coal power plants and power grids, and not a lack of grid infrastructure, led to wasted power from renewables, Myllyvirta said.
Solar and wind usage rates fell in the first quarter, Bloomberg reported separately the same day, citing data from the National New Energy Consumption Monitoring and Early Warning Center published in May.
The inability to leverage fully China's wind and solar power sources could expose the country further to the effects of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the analysis said.