ENSO-Driven Seasonal Variability in Near-Surface Wind Speed and Wind Power Potential Across China

Seasonal variations in near-surface wind speed (NSWS) significantly impact wind energy production, yet the role of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in shaping these variations remains insufficiently explored. This study investigates ENSO-driven seasonal NSWS variability across China and their implications for wind power density (WPD). We demonstrate that ENSO exerts strongly season-dependent impacts on WPD in subregions, spanning the ENSO-developing summer to the decaying summer. During these active ENSO phases, 15%–50% of stations within that regions exhibit WPD anomalies exceeding ±10% relative to their seasonal climatology in response to a 1°C sea surface temperature change in the central-eastern Pacific during the ENSO peak winter. Furthermore, 850 hPa wind speeds show coherent variations with NSWS, indicating a strong dynamic connection between the lower troposphere and surface. These findings deepen our understanding of ENSO's influence in driving seasonal wind resources, providing actionable insights for regional wind energy management and strategic resource planning.