PNNL

Abstract

This Perspective article provides a very brief overview of the topic of wind and solar energy droughts, including a short discussion of hydropower droughts. It does not attempt to provide a complete literature review of the subject, but rather highlights some of the main concepts associated with renewable energy droughts. These include wind and solar energy drought definitions and metrics; their linkage to transmission, storage and demand response; a comparison of their characteristics with hydrologic droughts; meteorological conditions producing drought; their predictability; model-based and observational data sets useful for drought analyses; wind and solar flood events; hydropower droughts; climate change impacts on droughts; and the special challenge of evaluating the characteristics of wind and solar droughts in developing countries that have limited historical data available. Finally, the manuscript identifies research areas that the authors believe would provide immediate benefit to energy system planners.