Could France’s green transition be derailed by poor grid flexibility?

In an unprecedented move, France had to cut wind and solar output several times this summer to avoid overloading its transmission grid. Having already reduced nuclear output to its limits, France had no choice but to start curbing renewables amid strong supply and very low demand. Its TSO has since warned that renewable curtailments will be needed to balance the grid more often in the future. Yet, curbing wind and solar output is clearly counterintuitive. After all, we need more renewable capacity to have any hope of getting off fossil fuels and reaching net-zero emissions. So, what exactly is the problem? We are not making enough effort to electrify the system, for instance by developing electric vehicles heat pumps, and other measures. As a result, we are not making the system more flexible with storage or demand-side flexibility. These pylons and cables may not look like much but they actually represent the electricity transmission system. But that system is no longer fit for purpose, not only in France but across Europe. So, unless policymakers act now to boost flexibility and to provide further incentives for wider electrification, then a backlash against renewables may be on the cards. If, at some point, we have a blackout because there's no wind or no sun, or too much wind or too much sun, and we cannot manage it, or wind turbines are not a good solution to decarbonise our power mix. We've developed a lot of renewable energy I fear that the population will think that solar power without building the infrastructure to support it.