As Europe swelters through record-breaking temperatures, spiking demand for cooling systems is putting power grids under growing strain and raising the risk of outages across the continent. The extreme heat is also adding fresh urgency to Europe’s climate and energy challenges.
Countries in Europe are registering record-breaking temperatures, with a recent report from the World Meteorological Organisation predicting global temperatures likely to continue reaching record levels in the next five years.
Simon Stiell, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), warned that “the world’s addiction to burning coal, oil and gas” is the main culprit of today’s soaring temperatures. “The heatwaves currently hitting many countries are a brutal reminder of the spiraling impacts of the climate crisis, both human and economic,” he wrote in a statement.
The main culprit is the world’s addiction to burning coal, oil and gas, and destroying forests. The science is clear that human-induced climate change is making these heatwaves more frequent and extreme. — Simon Stiell, UNFCC
According to Mr Stiell, this extreme heat and the war in the Middle East underline the importance of moving away from fossil fuels. “This climate-driven heatwave is double-jeopardy.”
Power prices surge
On Wednesday, German day-ahead power prices jumped by 29 per cent. Due to a lack of wind-powered energy, there was an increased need for expensive gas- and coal-fired power plants to meet electricity demands for cooling systems such as air conditioning units.
If temperatures continue to rise, the strain on Europe’s energy infrastructure could intensify, potentially driving electricity prices even higher while geopolitical tensions continue to affect global energy markets. Heatwaves add demand pressures on European power grids while also risking their stability.
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According to an analysis by energy think tank Ember, extreme heat can place power grids under pressure in several ways. High temperatures can reduce the efficiency of power cables and transformers, while overheating infrastructure can increase the risk of outages — as seen in parts of Italy during previous summer heatwaves.
Europe’s nuclear sector has also faced challenges during periods of extreme heat. Several nuclear plants in France and Switzerland have previously had to reduce output because river water used to chill reactors became too warm to meet cooling requirements.
According to Mr Stiell, accelerating the transition to clean energy is essential for tackling climate change and improving both energy security and pricing. Renewables are “now cheaper than fossil fuels, faster to deploy, and mission-critical for energy affordability and nations’ economic security”, he claimed.
Sunny boost to solar energy
One sector benefiting from the heatwave is solar energy. Higher levels of sunshine can significantly boost solar electricity generation, helping reduce the need for imported fossil fuels. According to a recent analysis by SolarPower Europe, solar energy saved Europeans billions of euros in gas import costs since the conflict in the Middle East by lowering fossil fuel demand during peak daylight hours.
Countries with strong renewable energy output have already seen some benefits. In Spain, for example, abundant solar generation has helped lower electricity prices during periods of peak sunshine.
More homegrown clean energy and energy efficiency measures could help provide cooling to the most vulnerable, and more secure and affordable electricity to help power homes, businesses, vital health services and electric transport. — Simon Stiell, UNFCC
However, solar energy production falls sharply after sunset, even as electricity demand often remains elevated during hot nights. Consumers relying on air conditioning overnight may therefore face higher electricity costs when grids turn to more expensive fossil-fuel generation to meet demand.
“More homegrown clean energy and energy efficiency measures could help provide cooling to the most vulnerable, and more secure and affordable electricity to help power homes, businesses, vital health services and electric transport,” Mr Stiell said.
He also stressed the need for greater investment in climate resilience measures. “The current extreme heat also reinforces the need to invest more in building resilience to climate impacts, whether extreme heat, mega-floods, wildfires or droughts, which are also affecting food production and prices.”
