Study finds reduction of aerosols and cloud cover drives increase in solar radiation in Europe

Credit: C3S/ECMWF/DWD/EUMETSAT

” data-image-caption=”" data-medium-file=”https://tallbloke.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/sun_europe24.jpg?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://tallbloke.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/sun_europe24.jpg?w=614″ src=”https://tallbloke.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/sun_europe24.jpg?w=614″ alt=”" width=”614″ height=”320″ class=”aligncenter size-large wp-image-83916″ srcset=”https://tallbloke.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/sun_europe24.jpg?w=614 614w, https://tallbloke.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/sun_europe24.jpg?w=150 150w, https://tallbloke.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/sun_europe24.jpg?w=300 300w, https://tallbloke.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/sun_europe24.jpg?w=768 768w, https://tallbloke.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/sun_europe24.jpg?w=1024 1024w, https://tallbloke.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/sun_europe24.jpg 1108w” sizes=”(max-width: 614px) 100vw, 614px” />
More sun reaching the ground raises the temperature, no trace gas variation necessary. Projects to reduce, or slow the increase of, carbon dioxide look irrelevant in the face of the data.
– – –
Solar radiation warms and illuminates our planet, says Phys.org.

It is the primary driver behind the movement of clouds and wind, helps keep us warm, and governs activity through daily and seasonal cycles.

However, over the past 30 years, a complex combination of reduced atmospheric aerosol pollution (tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere), global warming [Talkshop comment – circular argument], and changes in cloud cover has led to a significant increase in solar radiation levels in Europe, according to a new study co-authored by the University of Málaga (UMA), the University of Murcia (UMU), and Solargis, a solar-sector company specializing in data and software.

The data show that solar radiation reaching the European surface increased by 2.4 watts per square meter per decade (equivalent to a total of 4.8%) during the period from 1994 to 2023.

However, this increase has not been uniform across the continent or over time. The results indicate that central-western Europe experienced greater growth than other areas, particularly over the last 20 years.

Northeastern France, the Benelux region, and western Germany experienced increases of nearly 11% between 1994 and 2023 (4.7 watts per decade), with even higher rates during the last 20 years (6.8 watts per decade).

The study, “Past, present and future trends of solar radiation in Europe: Multi-source assessment of the role of clouds and aerosols,” published in the journal Remote Sensing of Environment, was conducted over a 24-month period and, according to its authors, is one of the most comprehensive solar radiation studies carried out in Europe to date.
‘ ‘ ‘
Drivers of change: Clouds and aerosols
Solar radiation reaching the ground after passing through the atmosphere is influenced by two main factors: aerosol levels suspended in the atmosphere and cloud cover. The study sheds light on which of these two has been more influential in the changes in solar radiation observed in Europe over the last 30 years.

In particular, it concludes that changes in cloud opacity and cloud cover account for approximately 80% of the total increase in solar radiation. The reduction in aerosol pollution levels over the past 30 years explains the remaining 20%.
. . .
“When we began this study, we were already aware of the general increase in solar radiation levels, but our findings regarding how much they have increased, and the factors driving this change, have certainly been surprising,” states José Antonio Ruiz-Arias, Professor in the Department of Applied Physics I at the University of Málaga and principal investigator of this research.

Full article here.
– – –
Image credit: C3S/ECMWF/DWD/EUMETSAT