ArticleNature communications2026
Long-duration electricity storage needs for coping with Dunkelflaute events in Europe.
Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Balancing energy, water, and ecology through renewable energy transitions in the Yellow River Basin.Nature communications · 2026Article
- An advanced reliability reserve incentivizes flexibility investments while safeguarding the electricity market.iScience · 2026Article
- Long-duration electricity storage needs for coping with Dunkelflaute events in Europe.Nature communications · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Coping with prolonged periods of low availability of wind and solar power, also referred to as variable renewable energy droughts or "Dunkelflaute", emerges as a key challenge for realizing decarbonized energy systems based on renewable energy. Here we investigate the role of long-duration electricity storage and geographical balancing through transmission in dealing with such events in Europe, combining a time series analysis of renewable availability with power sector modeling of 35 historical weather years. We find that extreme droughts define long-duration storage operation and investment. Assuming policy-relevant interconnection, the least-cost system in our model capable of coping with the most extreme event requires 351 terawatt hours long-duration storage capacity, corresponding to 7% of yearly European electricity demand. While nuclear power can partially reduce storage needs, the storage-mitigating effect of fossil backup plants in combination with carbon removal is limited. Policymakers and system planners should prepare for a rapid expansion of long-duration storage to safeguard the renewable energy transition in Europe.
Identifiers
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Registered trials
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