From Watts Up With That?

Essay by Eric Worrall

Europe has suffered repeated wind power outages since October 2024. Is climate change to blame?

Global Warming May Be Reducing Wind Speeds in Europe

By Charles Kennedy – Feb 17, 2025, 11:30 AM CST

…

The warming of the layer of the atmosphere closest to the surface and the warming of the earth’s surface are increasing the instances of the so-called “stilling” phenomenon in which wind speeds drop in the summers, according to modeling from a team of researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign cited by Bloomberg.

Even small declines in wind speeds could slash wind power generation, the lead researcher Gan Zhang, a climate scientist and professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, told Bloomberg.

“The energy system is a marginal market,” Zhang said. “That means if you change the margin by 5 to 10%, the price response can be huge,” the scientist added.

…

For example, Germany has been experiencing lower-than-normal winds for four months, which have reduced wind power generation, boosting electricity prices and the reliance on fossil fuels.

…Read more: https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Global-Warming-May-Be-Reducing-Wind-Speeds-in-Europe.html

The study referenced by the article;

Amplified summer wind stilling and land warming compound energy risks in Northern Midlatitudes

Environmental Research Letters

• February 2025
• 20(3)

DOI:10.1088/1748-9326/adb1f8

• License
• CC BY 4.0

Authors: Gan Zhang

Wind energy plays a critical role in mitigating climate change and meeting growing energy demands. However, the long-term impacts of anthropogenic warming on wind resources, particularly their seasonal variations and potential compounding risks, remain understudied. Here we analyze large-ensemble climate simulations in high-emission scenarios to assess the projected changes in near-surface wind speed and their broader implications. Our analyses show robust wind changes including a decrease of wind speed (i.e. stilling) up to ∼15% during the summer months in Northern Midlatitudes. This stilling is linked to amplified warming of the midlatitude land and the overlying troposphere. Despite regional and model uncertainties, robust signals of warming-induced wind stilling will likely emerge from natural climate variations in the late 21st century under the high-emission scenarios. Importantly, the summertime wind stilling coincides with a projected surge in cooling demand, and their compounding may disrupt the energy supply-demand balance earlier. These findings highlight the importance of considering the seasonal responses of wind resources and the associated climate-energy risks in a warming climate. By integrating these insights into future energy planning decisions, we can better adapt to a changing climate and ensure a reliable and resilient energy future.Read more: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/388710476_Amplified_summer_wind_stilling_and_land_warming_compound_energy_risks_in_Northern_Midlatitudes

German consumers in particular had a rough ride the last few months;

Lower Wind Generation in Germany Raises European Power Prices

By Tsvetana Paraskova – Jan 29, 2025, 4:45 AM CST

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The German predicament, where wind speeds have been below average for extended periods of time since October 2024, is affecting regional prices as Germany’s utilities are also raising electricity imports from neighboring countries.

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Germany’s wind power output fell by 16% in the first 28 days of January from the same period a year earlier, per data from LSEG cited by Reuters columnist Gavin Maguire.

As a result, Germany’s power producers have boosted fossil fuel generation, with coal and natural gas power plants raising their electricity output by 4.5% so far in January from a year earlier, according to LSEG data.

At the end of last year, Germany’s power prices spiked as the so-called power margin, the available electricity supply to meet demand, sunk as low wind speeds and colder weather were straining the power system.

…Read more: 

https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Lower-Wind-Generation-in-Germany-Raises-European-Power-Prices.html

My question – does this mean we can get rid of wind turbines and the motivation to build those horrible turbine eyesores by burning more coal?

Who knew the Germans still have coal plants?

Of course, we must preserve the extreme weather narrative, so let’s assume that when wind does happen, the resulting tornadoes and hailstorms will smash all the solar panels. The following is from 2023.

Perhaps the green jobs advocates keep promising are mostly running jobs – running out in the middle of a hailstorm to pull padded covers over all the solar panels.

What fun times we live in.