Study: Climate Change is Reducing Wind Speeds in Europe
18 hours ago Eric Worrall
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
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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.
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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.
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Read more:
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Global-Warming-May-Be-Reducing-Wind-Speeds-in-Europe.htmlThe study referenced by the article;
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/02/19/claim-climate-change-is-reducing-wind-speeds-in-europe/
