Weak winds worsen EU’s power crunch; utilities need better storage

Better option: A shepherd herds sheep near a wind farm in Villafranca del Cid, Spain. Wind power generation has low operating costs, offering cheaper wholesale power than thermal plants that must pay for fuel. — Bloomberg

WIND speeds were milder than usual in Europe this year, so windmills across the bloc generated less electricity, which worsened a crunch that sent power prices to record highs as utilities had to buy more coal and scarce, costly, natural gas.

The situation illustrated a challenge facing the European Union (EU) as it tries to boost renewable power and meet its climate targets: Power prices can soar when the wind dies down, so generators need ways to store some of the excess power when winds are strong.