Gloomy weather may get spirits down – but it’s also putting a damper on the UK’s power output.
The amount of wind and solar energy generated has fallen significantly over the past two weeks due to a high-pressure weather system.
And the calm, dark skies are expected to continue, according to the Met Office, as one high-pressure system is replaced by another.
This phenomenon is known as a ‘Dunkelflaute’, which comes from the German words for ‘darkness’ and ‘weak wind’.
Met Office forecaster Liam Eslick said: ‘High pressure means air is sinking and thus winds are normally very light.
‘This is why it has also been cloudy as there has been no wind to mix or shift the cloud, so we have been seeing this blanket of grey since the start of November.’
Data from Elexon, which runs Britain’s wholesale electricity market, shows how dire renewable energy production has become.
Three weeks ago, on October 20, wind was producing 60.8 per cent of Britain’s power – 19.2 gigawatts (GW) – during the 8am to 9am rush.
That tumbled to just three per cent (1.1GW) during the same time slot on Tuesday last week.
In fact, wind generated just 2.8 per cent of Britain’s power (1GW) that day between 10am and 11am – its poorest performance of the year.
Solar power production was also down over the past week, barely managing to supply three per cent of the nation’s energy.
On average, wind has supplied nearly a third of the UK’s power over the past year, while solar produces around five per cent.
The dip comes as Sir Keir Starmer and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband are reportedly expected to pledge to cut CO2 emissions by 240m tonnes – 60 per cent of their 2022 levels – by 2035.
The government is targeting to ‘decarbonise’ the power system by 2030 by ending the use of gas-fired power stations. In September, the last remaining coal-fired power station in Britain was shutdown.
The National Energy System Operator (NESO), formerly known as the National Grid, said the recent lull was nothing to panic about, as it has the largest pre-winter surplus of power for five years.
This is due to a growth in battery storage capacity and a better network of zero carbon sources, plus easy access to foreign imports. It will more than offset seasonal reductions and the recent closure of Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, the UK’s last coal-fired power station, NESO claims.
A spokesman said: ‘While weather patterns can influence wind generation, the impact on energy prices is mitigated by the diverse energy sources and strategic planning NESO has in place.’
A Government spokesman said: ‘Our robust electricity system is already set up to cope with extreme scenarios.
‘Throughout the transition to net zero and beyond, we will continue working with our partners to ensure the safe, secure and resilient supply of electricity across Great Britain – with the National Energy System Operator confirming clean power by 2030 is achievable and can lead to a cheaper and more secure system.
‘The best way to tackle extreme weather is to tackle the climate crisis.’
A new high-pressure front moves south today.