Such problems as environmental pollution, climate change, energy security and sustainable development have become increasingly prominent. The world's major countries have included new energy sources in the priority development strategy of national energy. Major development opportunities and challenges are faced in high penetration renewable energy. On the basis of an analysis of the background and status quo of the renewable energy development both at home and abroad, this paper introduces the main features of large-scale development of renewable energy in China. By taking Gansu as an example to study the opportunities of high penetration development of renewable energy, the paper analyzes a series of challenges in terms of outward transmission, power accommodation, system stability, operation control, economy and efficiency, makes a prospect of development trend of high penetration renewable energy and proposes relevant countermeasures.