European weekly wind output drops to second-lowest so far this year

London — European wind generation averaged 23.6 GW in the seven days to July 19, the second lowest weekly average for wind output this year, data aggregated by WindEurope showed.

Wind generated 4 TWh during the week, down 39% week on week and 24% below the same week last year.

The rolling five-week average, however, remains 5 GW above the same period last year at 33 GW.

Gas-fired generation filled the gap in wind output in many markets, with German gas-fired generation topping the weekly power mix for a second time this summer averaging 9.9 GW, data aggregated by Fraunhofer ISE show.

Across Europe's five biggest power markets (Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Spain), gas-fired generation rose above 44 GW for the first time since January, reaching the second highest level on a weekly average basis year-to-date in week 28, according to S&P Global Platts Analytics.

"The fuel-switch price signals in favor of gas that emerged in the second half of 2019 never dissipated and instead further intensified in 2020," it said July 16.

Spot power prices also continued to recover with German day-ahead peakload settling at Eur49.87/MWh for July 16, a level not seen since late January, Epex Spot data show. July 16 was particularly high because there was hardly any wind and not much solar either.

Wind was forecast to rebound slightly in the day ahead with spotrenewables.com pegging German average wind levels around 6 GW for the week to July 26.