How a Snow Deficit in the Alps Will Put Europe’s Energy System Under Pressure

Europe’s gas demand could rise even higher at the end of this winter, making it even more challenging to refill storage that has been depleting at the fastest pace in years.         So far into 2026, snowfall and snow coverage in the Alps, which feed a large part of the hydropower generation in Austria and northern Italy, have been well below average, Reuters columnist Gavin Maguire notes.  With potentially lower hydropower generation, if snowfall continues to be scarce, gas consumption in the…