Dark Doldrums Overshadow Europe’s Energy Markets 

Periods of low sun and wind, a weather pattern known as a Dunkelflaute, can increase electricity prices and stoke political tensions.Europe is watching the skies for a gremlin that can roil its energy markets and stoke political tensions between neighboring countries. This weather phenomenon, known as the Dunkelflaute, has become a source of frustration to government ministers and a potential pitfall on their journey to cleaner energy.A German term that translates to “dark doldrums,” Dunkelflaute refers to a spate of calm days when dense clouds descend over northern Europe. This weather pattern may occur two to 10 times a year, usually in the fall and winter, and lasts 24 hours or longer.In the past, these spells of murky quiet would have made little difference to energy markets in Europe. But in recent years, as countries like Germany and Britain have spent billions to tackle climate change by shifting to cleaner sources of energy, the Dunkelflaute has gained notoriety.A generation ago, Europe relied on steady, predictable flows of energy from nuclear and fossil fuel plants. Now, much of the region’s power comes from solar arrays and wind farms, whose output varies with the whims of the weather.Advocates of wind and solar power stress that these technologies have lower costs because they do not burn gas or coal, but they can contribute to large price swings in the marketplace for power.During the gloomy stillness of a Dunkelflaute, solar panels produce little power and wind turbines slow to a halt. Without these two mainstays of renewable energy, grid operators need to call on backup power plants like natural-gas-fired generators.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe.