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Environment

Reliance on wind and solar does expose nations to energy price spikes

Countries like the UK, Spain and Italy rely on gas to step in when renewables can’t produce power, leading to higher energy prices – but a more flexible system could avoid this

By Madeleine Cuff

20 January 2025

Solar and wind generate a large proportion of Spain’s electricity

Alvaro Barrientos/AP Photo/Alamy

Nations with large amounts of wind and solar on their power grid are particularly vulnerable to surging energy bills due to spikes in the price of gas. The relationship between decarbonisation and price volatility has been a contentious issue as governments consider clean energy strategies, but an analysis of power prices in Europe has now provided evidence to inform the debate.

Vast quantities of wind and solar capacity have been deployed in recent years across the continent. But these power sources are intermittent, generating electricity only when…

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