Global Warming Could Be Making It Less Windy in Europe
- Climate change is leading to summer ‘stilling,’ study shows
- Lower wind speeds could put pressure on renewable generation
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Global warming is driving down wind speeds during European summers, putting additional stress on the region’s energy systems as soaring temperatures boost cooling demand, new research shows.
That phenomenon — known as “stilling” — is driven by amplified warming of both the land and the troposphere, the layer of atmosphere closest to the earth’s surface, said lead researcher Gan Zhang, a climate scientist and professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.