Dunkelflaute is a marvelous German word which translates as “dark doldrums” or “dark wind lull.” It refers to periods of little or no wind or sunlight, which means no wind or solar electrical production. This thread on X discusses the options to deal with it in Europe. Key findings:

• Dunkelflaute in December 2023 led to a 20X spike in electrical prices in Norway, record prices in the Netherlands, and factory shutdowns in Spain.
• Proposed battery and hydrogen backup solutions are fairy tales.
• Grid connections cannot fill the gap, and proposed upgrades are also fairy tales.
• Germany has the ability to bring back shut-down nuclear plants, but is instead continuing to use its coal resources.
• “The math is clear: without massive storage breakthrough or nuclear power, Europe faces an ugly choice – accept blackouts and price hikes or keep burning fossil fuels as backup. Physics does not care about politics.”

Click here to read the thread.