Curtailment
When the grid can't absorb or move all the wind and solar it's producing, that clean energy is thrown away — "curtailed." It's the cost of Germany's north–south grid bottleneck, and it tends to spike exactly when wind is high and prices go negative.
When the grid cannot carry the power, renewable generators are switched off — curtailed. Over the two years to 9 August 2026, Wattlas values the German curtailment in this feed at roughly €1.0 billion, using a reference rate of €80/MWh.
For scale, one EU-wide study put 2024 curtailment across seven countries at about €7.2 billion — a different, wider scope, not this Germany-only series.
The euro figure is an estimate at a reference price, not a settled cost.
Questions
How much does renewable curtailment cost in Germany?
An estimate of about €1.0 billion over two years, at a reference rate of €80/MWh. It is an estimate, not the billed figure, which varies by plant and year.