According to data from the System Distribution Administrator, the percentage of energy curtailment generated by photovoltaic systems in Cyprus during June and July is very low. In this blog post, you can learn more information about how the utilization of solar energy in Cyprus is on the rise.
Substantial energy production
In June, the estimated total energy production from photovoltaic systems across Cyprus amounted to 86.843 MWh, while in July, it reached 97.765 MWh. This production is the sum of the estimated total energy from both grid-connected PV systems within the SCADA and non-grid-connected PV systems.
Specifically, the total energy estimated to be generated from grid-connected PV systems within the SCADA amounted to 44.820 MWh in June and to 48.451 MWh in July.
Minimal energy curtailment
So far, during the summer months (June and July), there have been no significant curtailments to the energy generated by the PV systems. This was achieved due to balanced production and demand. More specifically, out of the energy produced by grid-connected PV systems, there was a need to curtail 2.991 MWh in June and only 916 MWh in July.
Produced energy curtailment
- Summer
During summer months there are small curtailments because there is high energy production from the PV systems, but at the same time, there is also significant energy consumption due to the usage of air conditioning systems.
- Spring–Autumn
The largest curtailments are observed during the spring and autumn months. This occurs because while the energy production is still high, the consumption is lower since during these seasons, the use of air conditioning is not necessary for either cooling or heating.
It is estimated that the energy curtailment for 2023 is at 3.22% of the total energy produced from renewable energy sources, which corresponds to an estimated curtailed energy of 36.700 MWh.
Concerns about the excess energy
With over 40,000 installed PV systems in Cyprus, there is a significant amount of surplus energy that is not stored for later use but is instead lost.
The ideal scenario for Cyprus would be to store or export the excess energy. In fact, the Minister of Energy, Commerce, and Industry, George Papanastasiou, during his visit to Israel in June, emphasized that Cyprus could potentially become an exporter of electricity, including exports to Israel. This opinion was also shared by the spokesperson of the Cyprus Transmission System Operator (TSOC), as the surplus energy is currently being discarded.
