Western European Weather Solar Electricity System

Are European power systems more resilient to weather variability?

Grochowicz, A., van Greevenbroek, K., Benth, F. E. & Zeyringer, M. Intersecting near-optimal spaces: European power systems with more resilience to weather variability. Energy Econ. 118, 106496 (2023).

Does weather affect wind power production in Europe?

Interestingly, the relative share of anomalies in onshore and offshore wind power production for Europe is typically similar independent of the weather patterns, although the estimate of the European mean wind power production for 2050 is by about a factor of four larger offshore (155.8 MW) than onshore (37.1 MW).

How much solar power does Europe produce per hour?

The model yields a mean hourly production for Europe of 130 GW for PV power and 151 GW for wind power for the 2050 installed capacity, which gives a ratio of PV to PV plus wind power production of 46%. Our model captures regional differences in weather impacts accounting for the heterogeneous distribution of installed capacities.

Can weather patterns predict photovoltaic and wind power production anomalies?

Our findings suggest that weather patterns can serve as indicators for expected photovoltaic and wind power production anomalies and may be useful for early warnings in the energy sector. European countries are collectively facing pressing challenges in securing electricity supply with an increasing share of renewable energy.