The Dunkelflaute Disaster: What Happens When Wind Power Goes Silent

In the latest illustration of why you can’t rely on wishful thinking as a power source, the UK and Germany faced a harsh lesson in “Dunkelflaute.” For those not familiar with this charming German term, it means “dark doldrums”—or, in practical terms, a blackout in renewable power. While we’ve been lectured about the virtues of a green energy future, these countries got a taste of the reality: when the wind stops blowing, the entire grand plan goes belly-up.

This past Tuesday, Britain’s much-heralded wind farms managed to cover a pitiful 3-4% of electricity demand during peak hours. The National Grid had no choice but to ramp up gas-fired plants, which handled a whopping 60% of demand. Meanwhile, solar and biomass did their best to chip in, but as always, they came up short. Across the Channel, Germany experienced similar woes. Wind speeds dropped so low that turbines were spinning at a meager 7% of their theoretical capacity. Once again, it was back to coal and gas—those supposed relics of the past that are actually the backbone of modern energy security.

The “Green” Fantasy vs. Reality

Here’s what the climate evangelists won’t admit: renewable energy is a fair-weather friend. When the high-pressure systems settle in, the wind dies, and the sun disappears behind clouds, the whole green energy charade falters. Dunkelflaute is a reality every winter in Europe. Yet, this doesn’t stop policymakers from pushing for an energy system increasingly dependent on wind and solar, demanding that we double down with offshore wind farms and solar panels as if weather-dependent power will suddenly become reliable.

According to the UK’s National Energy System Operator (NESO), achieving “clean power by 2030” requires nothing short of a “Herculean effort.” We’re talking about doubling onshore wind capacity, tripling offshore wind, and quadrupling solar power. And even with all of that, there’s an acknowledgment that the system will need significant backup from nuclear power, battery storage, and, yes, gas plants. It’s as if they know this plan doesn’t hold up without fossil fuels lurking in the background, ready to save the day.

Unpacking the Fantasy Numbers

To prop up this fantasy, NESO envisions a massive expansion of not only wind and solar farms but also “system flexibility.” What does that mean? Well, they expect the public to adjust their energy usage based on availability. Imagine being asked to cook dinner at 2 p.m. because the wind happens to be blowing. This is the absurdity we’re being sold: an “eco-friendly” lifestyle where you’re at the mercy of the weather.

Then there’s the infrastructure needed. NESO’s pathway demands thousands of miles of new cables, pylons, and a reworked planning system to connect all these intermittent sources. And after all that, they admit gas will still be part of the equation, justifying its role as “backup.” In plain terms, gas will continue to do the heavy lifting during Dunkelflautes.

The Never-Ending Need for Fossil Fuels

Chris Stark, one of the government’s leading voices in this green campaign, recently acknowledged on social media that gas is, for now, the main “backup.” In his words, they hope to replace it with “low-carbon flexibility,” which is code for technology that doesn’t yet exist at the scale required. Meanwhile, we’re supposed to celebrate incremental shifts in “renewable generation,” especially in offshore wind—despite its sky-high costs and inconsistency.

Stark and his colleagues envision an elaborate future where energy storage and “flexibility” will reduce gas dependence. But let’s not kid ourselves. Even if small, “low-carbon” energy sources are developed, they won’t magically replace gas. We’re talking about filling a chasm of energy needs with a handful of experimental technologies.

Why This Matters

The truth here is painfully simple. Europe’s renewable dream relies on natural gas, coal, and nuclear. Without these, the entire system is a non-starter. Dunkelflaute is just the latest chapter in a long saga showing that renewables, as they stand today, cannot sustain a modern grid. And while the green lobby loves to demonize fossil fuels, they remain essential, especially when the wind stops.

The takeaway? We can’t afford to abandon reliable energy sources in favor of a pipe dream. If Europe and the UK want to avoid future Dunkelflautes, they’ll need to face reality and embrace a balanced, reliable mix of energy sources—one that doesn’t leave entire nations powerless in the dark.