Dunkelflaute is a German term for periods of low wind and low sunshine. Some people claim this means wind and solar don’t work.
A photo of still wind turbines doesn’t tell you whether the grid is working. Turbines may be standing still because of low wind, low demand, or curtailment.
Using Dunkelflaute as an argument against renewables in Australia is misleading because Australia is fundamentally different from northern Europe. We have a much stronger solar resource, a far larger and more geographically diverse electricity system, and stronger renewable resources spread across multiple climatic regions. Low wind in Victoria does not necessarily mean low wind in South Australia, poor solar in Queensland or reduced hydro in Tasmania.
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) does not assume wind and solar will generate continuously. Prolonged periods of low renewable output are explicitly modelled and managed through a combination of transmission, battery storage, pumped hydro, conventional hydro, demand response, and dispatchable generation, such as gas, as a backup.
Dunkelflaute is therefore a system-planning challenge, not a reason to reject renewables. Australia’s geography, renewable resources and ability to diversify and firm generation put us in a much stronger position to manage these events.
