Extreme weather is seriously affecting global energy supply

Original source: China Energy News

Since May, Brazil has suffered the worst drought in nearly 20 years.

It is worth noting that the experience in Brazil is not alone.

Many industry research institutions have pointed out that extreme droughts caused by climate change are occurring frequently around the world, not only affecting the energy supply of many countries, but also causing serious economic losses to the industry.

Anhydrous hydropower causes Brazil’s power shortage

It is reported that the traditional rainy season in Brazil usually lasts from November to March of the following year.

Data compiled by Reuters shows that about three-quarters of Brazil's electricity supply comes from hydropower, which is one of the countries with the highest proportion of hydropower in the world.

In May of this year, Brazilian President Bolsonaro said in a speech: “The rainy season in Brazil usually ends in March.

It is reported that the Brazilian Power Industry Regulatory Commission composed of the Brazilian government, technical departments, ONS and other institutions announced in early May that in order to ensure the power supply in Brazil, more thermal power generation capacity will be used, and it will also import from neighboring countries such as Argentina and Uruguay.

　　In an interview with Reuters, Luiz Carlos Ciocchi said that if Brazil's economy was not in a period of growth and also suffered from the new crown pneumonia epidemic, Brazil was likely to face the problem of tight electricity supply due to extreme weather last year.

　　High temperature increases power demand in many countries

　　For the United States, there is no “luck” like Brazil.

　　ERCOT pointed out that this summer, Texas is likely to face power supply shortages similar to last winter.

　　In fact, not only Texas, but many southern states in the United States have also encountered dry weather recently.

　　Another American research institute predicts that in the second and third quarters of this year, the water storage capacity of the Dalles hydropower station in the upper Columbia River area of ​​the United States will be about 9.

　　At the same time, Mexico is experiencing similar extreme drought.

　　Climate warming is the biggest cause

　　The industry generally believes that global warming is the main cause of frequent extreme weather.

　　In May of this year, the latest data released by the Brazilian government showed that the amount of damage to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil increased by more than 43% over the same period last year.

　　The US media CBS News reported that in the past 20 years, the United States experienced two severe droughts in 2003 and 2013 respectively, but this year's droughts are likely to exceed the above two years.

　　In addition, in 2018 and 2019, Europe also experienced two "unusually rare" consecutive droughts.
The high temperature exceeding 40°C lasted for several weeks, which temporarily caused a surge in European electricity demand and a sharp increase in electricity prices.

　　Industry research organization Carbon Brief quoted an Italian scholar Gustavo Naumann’s research report as saying that drought is likely to have a serious impact on the power industry.
Drought will not only directly affect hydropower production capacity, but also indirectly affect the use of cooling water systems in the power production system.
Happening.
For northern Europe, hydropower is one of the most important sources of electricity, and the impact of drought will become more obvious.

　　Gustavo Naumann suggested in the study that countries should take appropriate measures to reduce the adverse effects of extreme dry weather on agriculture, energy and other industries.
"Improving water use efficiency in power production" is particularly important.