Windy weather sets new renewable generation records across Europe

Wind energy generation peaked in Europe on Monday at potentially record-breaking levels, including nine different countries with a share of more than 40% wind energy.

According to data published by WindEurope, the region’s wind energy trade association, wind energy accounted for 33.2% of electricity generated on Monday, March 13.

Nine different countries reportedly had a share of more than 40% wind energy in their national electricity mixes, led by Denmark, which again had more than 100%. The other eight countries were Germany, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, and Lithuania.

Across Europe, onshore wind generated 2,372GWh, accounting for 30.1% of the region’s total electricity demand, while offshore wind generated 250GWh, or 3.2%.

Separately, though relying at least in part on WindEurope data, S&P Global Commodity Insights reported that European wind and solar generation peaked at 186GW on Monday, which they claim is “the highest combined hourly production peak registered by system data”.

S&P reported that, “For midday hour 11, wind generated some 121 GW and solar 61 GW across Europe, according to WindEurope and British system data with daily wind generation exceeding 3 TWh for the first time.”

During this time, Germany saw combined generation peak around 57GW and registered two hours of negative prices “amid indications of wind curtailment especially during solar peaks.”