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Urban heat islands can influence the wind energy resource during heatwaves.

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Title: Urban heat islands can influence the wind energy resource during heatwaves.
Authors: Du, Ruiqing1 (AUTHOR) du5@llnl.gov, Mirocha, Jeffrey D.1 (AUTHOR), Samuelson, Holly2 (AUTHOR), Li, Tianyi1 (AUTHOR)
Source: Building & Environment. Jan2026:Part B, Vol. 287, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
Subject Terms: *Urban heat islands, *Wind power, *Heat waves (Meteorology), *Clean energy, Thermal gradient measurment
Geographic Terms: Boston (Mass.)
Abstract: • UHI creates urban wind energy loss zone, reducing WPD by 20–30 W/m² at 50–100 m. • Suburban/rural areas gain WPD up to 40 W/m² at 150–200 m due to UHI effects. • Heatwave widens urban "loss zone" but boosts wind energy gains in suburban/rural areas. • Heatwaves amplify urban wind energy losses by 15–20 % via stronger thermal gradients. • Wind energy drops 25 %, cooling demand surges 30–40 %, causing mismatch in heatwaves. Urban wind energy is critical for sustainable electricity generation in cities. However, little research has explored how the urban heat island (UHI) effect influences wind energy, particularly in heatwaves when energy demand surges. In this study, we examine wind energy distribution in the Boston–Providence metropolitan area during heatwaves, using Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model integrated with Building Energy Parameterization/Building Energy Model (BEP/BEM). Two scenarios, a realistic case and a hypothetical case without urban warmth, were compared to isolate UHI impacts. Results reveal that UHI induces a "wind energy loss zone" in this urban area, reducing wind power density (WPD) by 20–30 W/m² at 50–100 m, while suburban/rural areas exhibit a "wind energy gain zone," with WPD increases up to 40 W/m² at 150–200 m. These losses diminish with distance from urban centers and become negligible beyond main urban and suburban sprawl. Heatwave expands the urban "loss zone", while amplifying wind energy gains in suburban/rural areas, driven by stronger thermal gradients and weakened background winds that intensify air convergence in urban and urban-rural circulations, thereby exacerbating urban wind energy losses by 15–20 %. An analysis of 235 wind farms using turbine power curves reveals that built areas dependent on stand-alone or off-grid turbines face significant energy deficits during a heatwave. Wind energy drops by up to 25 %, while cooling-related building energy demand rises 30–40 % during a heatwave. These findings underscore the need for strategic urban wind energy planning to ensure reliable power during extreme heat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Building & Environment is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Urban heat islands can influence the wind energy resource during heatwaves.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Du%2C+Ruiqing%22">Du, Ruiqing</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> du5@llnl.gov</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mirocha%2C+Jeffrey+D%2E%22">Mirocha, Jeffrey D.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Samuelson%2C+Holly%22">Samuelson, Holly</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Li%2C+Tianyi%22">Li, Tianyi</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Building+%26+Environment%22">Building & Environment</searchLink>. Jan2026:Part B, Vol. 287, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Urban+heat+islands%22">Urban heat islands</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Wind+power%22">Wind power</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Heat+waves+%28Meteorology%29%22">Heat waves (Meteorology)</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Clean+energy%22">Clean energy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thermal+gradient+measurment%22">Thermal gradient measurment</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Boston+%28Mass%2E%29%22">Boston (Mass.)</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: • UHI creates urban wind energy loss zone, reducing WPD by 20–30 W/m² at 50–100 m. • Suburban/rural areas gain WPD up to 40 W/m² at 150–200 m due to UHI effects. • Heatwave widens urban "loss zone" but boosts wind energy gains in suburban/rural areas. • Heatwaves amplify urban wind energy losses by 15–20 % via stronger thermal gradients. • Wind energy drops 25 %, cooling demand surges 30–40 %, causing mismatch in heatwaves. Urban wind energy is critical for sustainable electricity generation in cities. However, little research has explored how the urban heat island (UHI) effect influences wind energy, particularly in heatwaves when energy demand surges. In this study, we examine wind energy distribution in the Boston–Providence metropolitan area during heatwaves, using Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model integrated with Building Energy Parameterization/Building Energy Model (BEP/BEM). Two scenarios, a realistic case and a hypothetical case without urban warmth, were compared to isolate UHI impacts. Results reveal that UHI induces a "wind energy loss zone" in this urban area, reducing wind power density (WPD) by 20–30 W/m² at 50–100 m, while suburban/rural areas exhibit a "wind energy gain zone," with WPD increases up to 40 W/m² at 150–200 m. These losses diminish with distance from urban centers and become negligible beyond main urban and suburban sprawl. Heatwave expands the urban "loss zone", while amplifying wind energy gains in suburban/rural areas, driven by stronger thermal gradients and weakened background winds that intensify air convergence in urban and urban-rural circulations, thereby exacerbating urban wind energy losses by 15–20 %. An analysis of 235 wind farms using turbine power curves reveals that built areas dependent on stand-alone or off-grid turbines face significant energy deficits during a heatwave. Wind energy drops by up to 25 %, while cooling-related building energy demand rises 30–40 % during a heatwave. These findings underscore the need for strategic urban wind energy planning to ensure reliable power during extreme heat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Building & Environment is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113821
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 1
        StartPage: N.PAG
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Urban heat islands
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Wind power
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Heat waves (Meteorology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Clean energy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thermal gradient measurment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Boston (Mass.)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Urban heat islands can influence the wind energy resource during heatwaves.
        Type: main
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            NameFull: Du, Ruiqing
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            NameFull: Mirocha, Jeffrey D.
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            NameFull: Samuelson, Holly
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            NameFull: Li, Tianyi
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            – D: 15
              M: 01
              Text: Jan2026:Part B
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 287
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            – TitleFull: Building & Environment
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