{"id":253423,"date":"2023-04-17T20:03:20","date_gmt":"2023-04-17T18:03:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=253423"},"modified":"2023-04-17T20:03:32","modified_gmt":"2023-04-17T18:03:32","slug":"european-energy-suffering-now-hydro-and-nuclear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=253423","title":{"rendered":"European Energy Suffering, Now Hydro and Nuclear"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Science Matters<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By\u00a0Ron Clutz<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Irina Slav explains at Oil Price Europe\u2019s Energy Troubles Continue: Hydro And Nuclear Output Declining. <\/strong><\/a> Excerpts in italics with my bolds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2666  Europe\u2019s hydro and nuclear output is declining, leading to mopre energy troubles.
\u2666  Renewables are struggling to fill the gap as wind and solar output increase.
\u2666  The EU may require increased LNG imports from the US to meet energy demands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Europe was on the brink of an energy breakdown<\/strong> as Russian gas flows dried up and most of Europe doubled down on renewable energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The renewable energy bet paid off, in a way. Solar and wind electricity generation in Europe hit a record in 2022<\/strong>. In fact, for the first time in history, wind and solar together produced more electricity than natural gas-fired power plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was just one problem with that. Lower hydro and nuclear output
more than wiped out the significance of that record output.<\/mark><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Droughts were severe<\/strong> in Europe last year. They threatened major trade routes such as the Rhein in Germany and the Po in Italy. And they also caused severe declines in hydropower electricity output. For example, in Spain, hydropower output dropped by almost half because of the droughts. All this might repeat this year as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, nuclear wasn\u2019t doing so swell<\/strong>, either. France<\/strong> suddenly found that years of underinvestment in maintenance would have consequences: emergency reactor shutdowns for repairs and maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problems cost EDF a massive annual loss of $19 billion as\u00a0half of its reactors had to be shut down for maintenance.<\/strong>\u00a0Most blamed the pandemic, but nuclear experts such as Mark Nelson saw the roots of the\u00a0problem<\/strong>\u00a0much further into the past\u00a0when France decided to bet on renewable over nuclear.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That might have been the case in 2022, but this year<\/strong> things are different. Wind and solar are still producing electricity at a record rate, it appears, but declines in hydropower and nuclear output are so severe<\/strong> they are more than offsetting those record output rates, Reuters\u2019 Gavin Maguire reported in a recent column.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Maguire noted that Europe managed to boost its wind and solar power capacity by 9 percent last year to 57.29 GW, which was a record high. At the same time, however, the troubles of hydro and nuclear dragged total electricity generation down and are still doing it.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the first quarter, European power generation stood at 1,213 terrawatt-hours, which was 6.4 percent lower than output for the first quarter of 2023. That\u2019s according to climate change advocacy Ember. According to Maguire, this is not necessarily alarming in itself. This time last year, Europe was coming out of pandemic lockdowns, and demand was soaring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where things could become problematic<\/strong> is later in the year as business activity across the continent begins to rebound<\/strong> after the energy crunch of last year, the Reuters columnist noted. And most of the Russian gas<\/strong> that was available last year is no longer an option.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

French nuclear is a major source of hope, but it will be a while yet before output recovers. At the moment, French nuclear power plants are producing 17.5 percent less<\/strong> than the average output rate for 2020 and 2021. That\u2019s down from 23 percent for last year, so there is some progress, and that\u2019s a good sign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hydro is trickier because, although to a lesser extent than wind and solar, hydro<\/strong> is weather-dependent. With Europe\u2019s mild winter that saw a lot less snow than usual, a repeat of last year\u2019s drought<\/strong> is not out of the question. In fact, it is a distinct possibility.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What this means is that\u00a0Europe may need to import a lot more LNG<\/strong>\u00a0from its new top supplier, the United States. Some have worried that the EU is building too much\u00a0LNG import infrastructure<\/strong>\u00a0that would become stranded assets before too long, but right now, those assets\u00a0appear to be vital for the bloc\u2019s energy survival.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last year, Europe was on the brink of an energy breakdown\u00a0as Russian gas flows dried up and most of Europe doubled down on renewable energy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":253431,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691818627,691818075,691818054,691818130,691818626,691818447,691818479],"class_list":{"0":"post-253423","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-hydropower","9":"tag-nuclear","10":"tag-nuclear-power-plant","11":"tag-renewables","12":"tag-russian-gas","13":"tag-solar","14":"tag-wind","16":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/0eat-or-heat-image-1400x700-1.jpg?fit=1400%2C700&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-13Vt","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":208288,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=208288","url_meta":{"origin":253423,"position":0},"title":"Wind & Solar Industries Outraged: EU Declares Nuclear & Gas Are \u201cGreen\u201d Too","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"13\/07\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Rent-seekers have been telling us that wind and solar will soon not only displace, but entirely replace, our \u201cageing\u201d coal-fired power plants, knock gas-fired plants out of the ballpark and crush nuclear power plants before they even enter the contest. Such was the hype, anyway. Then came 2021. Massive\u00a0month-long wind\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/0uae-nuclear.webp?fit=750%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/0uae-nuclear.webp?fit=750%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/0uae-nuclear.webp?fit=750%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/0uae-nuclear.webp?fit=750%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":203451,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=203451","url_meta":{"origin":253423,"position":1},"title":"Energy Embrace: Nuclear Power\u2019s Inherent Reliability Key to Permanent Energy Security","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"08\/06\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine has focused minds on energy policy like nothing before. Europe\u2019s self-defeating reliance on Russian oil and gas has exposed the so-called wind and solar \u2018transition\u2019 as a delusional farce. Adding chaotically intermittent wind and solar to a grid, while driving reliable and affordable coal-fired plants to\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/00Screenshot-2022-06-08-094134.png?fit=831%2C443&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/00Screenshot-2022-06-08-094134.png?fit=831%2C443&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/00Screenshot-2022-06-08-094134.png?fit=831%2C443&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/00Screenshot-2022-06-08-094134.png?fit=831%2C443&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":435212,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=435212","url_meta":{"origin":253423,"position":2},"title":"The Great European Nuclear Mistake: Von der Leyen Admits Phase-Out Was a Strategic Error","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"29\/03\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Europe is now pivoting\u2014lifetime extensions, SMR funding, and treating nuclear on par with renewables in policy. Retaining existing plants would have delivered cheaper, cleaner, more secure energy during the transition. The blunder cost billions, extra emissions, and competitiveness; learning from it means pragmatic technology-neutral policy, not picking losers.","rel":"","context":"In \"carbon dioxide (CO\u2082)\"","block_context":{"text":"carbon dioxide (CO\u2082)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=carbon-dioxide-co%e2%82%82"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0-The-Great-European-Nuclear-Mistake-Von-der-Leyen-Admits-Phase-Out-Was-a-Strategic-Error.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0-The-Great-European-Nuclear-Mistake-Von-der-Leyen-Admits-Phase-Out-Was-a-Strategic-Error.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0-The-Great-European-Nuclear-Mistake-Von-der-Leyen-Admits-Phase-Out-Was-a-Strategic-Error.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0-The-Great-European-Nuclear-Mistake-Von-der-Leyen-Admits-Phase-Out-Was-a-Strategic-Error.jpg?fit=784%2C1168&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":205730,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=205730","url_meta":{"origin":253423,"position":3},"title":"IEA Warns Russia could Cut Off All Gas to Europe","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"24\/06\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Essay by Eric Worrall Just as well Europe has invested hundreds of billions of Euros in renewable energy capacity \/sarc. Russia Could Cut Off Gas Supply to Europe, IEA WarnsJune 23, 2022 12:49 PMHenry RidgwellLONDON \u2014\u00a0The International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that Russia could cut gas supplies to Europe\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/0Gas-cartoon-3-Putin-Interconnector-Nord-1633427464.4238.webp?fit=950%2C614&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/0Gas-cartoon-3-Putin-Interconnector-Nord-1633427464.4238.webp?fit=950%2C614&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/0Gas-cartoon-3-Putin-Interconnector-Nord-1633427464.4238.webp?fit=950%2C614&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/0Gas-cartoon-3-Putin-Interconnector-Nord-1633427464.4238.webp?fit=950%2C614&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":259041,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=259041","url_meta":{"origin":253423,"position":4},"title":"The EU\u00b4s Net Zero obsession will make Europe poorer, colder and darker.","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"25\/05\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Earlier this month, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen hailed the \u2018amazing progress\u2019 being made by the EU\u2019s Green Deal legislation. It is a funny kind of progress, however.","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate change\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate change","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-change"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/0874906_XXL.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/0874906_XXL.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/0874906_XXL.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/0874906_XXL.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/0874906_XXL.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":264283,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=264283","url_meta":{"origin":253423,"position":5},"title":"Europe\u2019s Crisis:\u00a0 Blame Green Energy Policy","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"28\/06\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The year 2022 was an energy disaster for Europe. Citizens and businesses suffered from astronomical prices for natural gas and electricity, sky-high home energy bills, shuttered industrial plants, and bankrupt companies.","rel":"","context":"In \"coal-fired power plants\"","block_context":{"text":"coal-fired power plants","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=coal-fired-power-plants"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/00Net-Zero-Carbon-sign-1700-x-1200.jpg?fit=1200%2C857&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/00Net-Zero-Carbon-sign-1700-x-1200.jpg?fit=1200%2C857&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/00Net-Zero-Carbon-sign-1700-x-1200.jpg?fit=1200%2C857&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/00Net-Zero-Carbon-sign-1700-x-1200.jpg?fit=1200%2C857&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/00Net-Zero-Carbon-sign-1700-x-1200.jpg?fit=1200%2C857&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253423","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=253423"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253423\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":253433,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253423\/revisions\/253433"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/253431"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=253423"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=253423"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=253423"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}