German Coal Power Output at One-Year High Amid Low Wind Speeds | OilPrice.com
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Breaking News:
Coal-fired power generation in Germany hit a one-year high this week as renewable energy output continues to struggle amid low wind speeds.
German coal power plants generated 8.1 gigawatts (GW) of electricity on Thursday, the highest since February 2024, Bloomberg models showed, despite growing wind power capacity over the past year.
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Wind capacity is higher but wind power generation has been lower since the autumn of 2024 as wind speeds have plunged.
On Wednesday, wind power in Germany generated only about 5 GW, per Bloomberg models.
To compare, Germany’s record wind power generation from December 2023 was ten times higher, at 53 GW
The persistently slow winds in Germany and other parts of northwest Europe have made power-generating companies rely on more natural gas and coal to meet demand.
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.
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.
At the end of last year, wind speeds in Germany slumped in the so-called ‘Dunkelflaute’ period in which there is a lull in wind speeds. This sent power prices in northwestern European countries surging and nations have had to rely more on fossil fuels such as natural gas to meet demand.
At the end of 2024, 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.
Germany may have to rely on standby coal-fired power generation longer than previously expected, to keep its power system stable and power prices from spikes when renewable output is low.
By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com
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