Dark Doldrums Overshadow Europe’s Energy Markets NYT | Top Stories By: Stanley Reed and Melissa Eddy 31 December 2024 at 01:00 Periods of low sun and wind, a weather pattern known as a Dunkelflaute, can increase electricity prices and stoke political tensions. © Patrick Junker for The New York TimesNorthern Europe now relies heavily on solar and wind power generation, which fluctuates with the weather.