Most forms of renewable energy are intermittent in nature. This means that they reach peak power production during specific hours of the day or under certain weather conditions, and produce little to no renewable energy when conditions aren’t ideal. As green energy demand surges worldwide, there are mounting concerns about how weather can affect the reliability and operation of renewable energies like solar and wind.
In late April, a massive power outage struck Portugal, Spain, and parts of France leaving 55 million people without power for 10 hours, and raising questions about the role of weather and green energy in the blackout. Renewables power a whopping 80% of the Iberian Peninsula’s electricity grid, and extreme weather often causes significant green energy infrastructure disruptions, so blaming renewables and the weather made sense to some.
However, the peninsula didn’t experience any extreme weather before or during the blackout, indicating that weather had nothing to do with the blackout. A European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity-appointed joint expert panel is currently investigating the cause of the blackout.
In the meantime, the massive outage, described as one of the worst in modern European history, has left leaders and pundits across the world worried about how weather conditions will impact their renewable energy systems.
Intense droughts or heavy rainfall can cut water availability or overwhelm hydropower systems respectively, cutting their energy output. Rain, snow, cloud cover, dust, smoke, and even pollution can block, reduce, or scatter sunlight, making photovoltaic solar panels less efficient. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that even seemingly small or insignificant weather events can cut solar energy output by 1% yearly.
Snow, in particular, can be a significant challenge if it accumulates on solar panels and may require regular clearing during the winter. Cumulatively, weather events account for 80% of insurance claims on solar farms. Wind turbines can suffer damage due to very strong winds, resulting in mechanical strain on critical turbine systems.
Additionally, fluctuations in wind speed and direction can impact wind energy output, while turbulence and storms cause operators to shut down to keep wind turbines safe. Wind farms in colder climates may also experience icing, which can lower blade efficiency or inflict mechanical damage.
In the U.S., renewable energy sources made up nearly 90% of all newly installed energy capacity last year, a World Resources Institute report says. Renewables now account for up to 30% of America’s large-scale energy-generating capacity. Clean energy also supplies close to 25% of the country’s electricity, a significant achievement that could turn sour if renewable energy infrastructure isn’t resilient to all types of weather.
As the U.S. accelerates its clean energy transition, ensuring that its power grid and renewable systems can withstand unpredictable weather will be essential. Building a flexible, resilient energy infrastructure capable of adapting to climate-driven disruptions is critical to maintaining reliable, clean, and secure energy for the nation’s future.
Firms like SolarBank Corp. (NASDAQ: SUUN) (Cboe CA: SUNN) (FSE: GY2) have a critical role to play in coming up with innovative and cost-efficient ways to store renewable energy so that any climate-related shocks don’t trigger widespread disruptions to energy availability.
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