Related Experiment Videos
Advancing solar and wind penetration in China through energy complementarity
Yuan Hu1,2, Hou Jiang3, Chuan Zhang4
1Institute of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Nature
|May 20, 2026
Summary
Harnessing solar and wind energy complementarity significantly reduces power variability and enhances renewable integration. Nationwide coordination of these resources boosts effective renewable penetration, offering scalable solutions for power systems.
Area of Science:
- Renewable Energy Systems
- Power Systems Integration
- Geospatial Analysis
Background:
- Rapid expansion of solar and wind energy increases power curtailment due to inherent variability.
- Spatiotemporal complementarity between solar and wind resources is key to enhancing renewable integration.
- Existing assessments of complementarity often rely on hypothetical scenarios, lacking real-world infrastructure data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a data-driven assessment of solar-wind complementarity using a unified national inventory.
- To evaluate how solar-wind complementarity manifests under real-world infrastructure.
- To determine the system-level integration outcomes of solar-wind complementarity.
Main Methods:
- Developed a national inventory of 319,972 solar photovoltaic facilities and 91,609 wind turbines in 2022.
- Utilized sub-meter satellite imagery and a deep-learning framework for facility identification.
- Analyzed the impact of geographic scope on solar-wind complementarity effectiveness.
Main Results:
- Solar-wind complementarity substantially reduces generation variability, with effectiveness increasing with geographic scope.
- Nationwide inter-provincial coordination increased effective renewable penetration by 99.88 TWh in an 80% dispatchable-flexibility system.
- This increase represents 9.1% of total solar and wind generation, equivalent to 120 hours of national average load.
Conclusions:
- Energy complementarity is a scalable, system-wide mechanism for advancing solar and wind penetration.
- Inter-regional coordination plays a crucial role in enhancing renewable integration in large power systems.
- Findings offer broadly applicable insights for optimizing renewable energy systems.
Related Concept Videos
01:11P-N junction
A p-n junction is formed when p-type and n-type semiconductor materials are joined together. At the interface of the p-n junction, holes from the p-side and electrons from the n-side begin to diffuse into the opposite sides due to the concentration gradient. This diffusion of carriers leads to a region around the junction where there are no free charge carriers, known as the depletion region. The charge density within the depletion region for the n-side and p-side can be described by the...
01:25Biofuels
The microbial conversion of organic matter into biofuels holds potential as a renewable energy source. Among biofuel sources, microalgae are recognized as a highly efficient and adaptable feedstock for biodiesel production, owing to their rapid biomass accumulation, elevated lipid productivity, and capacity to proliferate in diverse aquatic systems, including freshwater, marine, and wastewater habitats. Unlike terrestrial crops, microalgae do not compete for land and can achieve significantly...
01:27Energy Line and Hydraulic Gradient Line
Based on Bernoulli's equation, the energy line (EL) and hydraulic grade line (HGL) provide graphical representations of energy distribution in a fluid flow system. For steady, incompressible, inviscid flows, Bernoulli's equation is expressed as:
01:20Power Factor Correction
The power transmission to a factory involves the transfer of apparent power, a combination of active and reactive power. The power factor measures how effectively electrical power is converted into useful work output. The ratio of the real power (KW) that does the work to the apparent power (KVA) supplied to the circuit.
01:12Power and Energy
The power and energy delivered to an element are subjects of great significance in the field of electrical engineering. It is a well-known fact that a 100-watt light bulb emits more light than a 60-watt one. Therefore, power and energy calculations play a crucial role in the analysis of electrical circuits.
Power, defined as the time rate of expending or absorbing energy, is quantified in units called watts (W). The relation between power and energy is mathematically given as
Power, defined as the time rate of expending or absorbing energy, is quantified in units called watts (W). The relation between power and energy is mathematically given as
01:26The Power Flow Problem and Solution
Power flow problem analysis is fundamental for determining real and reactive power flows in network components, such as transmission lines, transformers, and loads. The power system's single-line diagram provides data on the bus, transmission line, and transformer. Each bus k in the system is characterized by four key variables: voltage magnitude Vk, phase angle δk, real power Pk, and reactive power Qk. Two of these four variables are inputs, while the power flow program computes the...