Extreme weather events on energy systems: a comprehensive review on impacts, mitigation, and adaptation measures

Abstract

Energy systems (ES) are seriously affected by climate variability since energy demand and supply are dependent on atmospheric conditions at several time scales and by the impact of severe extreme weather events (EWEs). EWEs affect ES and can cause partial or total blackouts due to energy supply disruptions. These events significantly impact essential infrastructures and are considered one of the main causes of wide-area electrical disturbances worldwide. A comprehensive review is carried out based on 210 published studies using searches from Scopus and Google Scholar databases, to assess the impacts of EWEs—such as extreme storms, wind, and lightning events, heat, or cold waves, and freezing—on ES and their associated infrastructures—production, transmission, and distribution—worldwide, with a particular focus on wind energy systems (WES). Strategies and measures are critically reviewed and synthesized to minimize and mitigate the impact of EWEs, protect, and adapt the systems to maintain regular operations even when these events occur. Finally, physical modifications to systems and the incorporation of new technological solutions such as energy storage systems (ESS), distributed energy systems (DES), and microgrids, can enhance the network resilience and mitigate the EWEs effects.