Iberian Blackout Exposes Gaps in Management, Not in Renewables

• Europe's electricity system is out-of-date and needs immediate upgrades.
• Solar and wind systems do not have spinning parts to supply power during an emergency.
• Investments in fortifying grid technology, as well as industry partnerships and dialogues, are the need of the hour.

Europe recently witnessed its biggest blackout in history when Spain and Portugal slipped into darkness, a grim situation that impulsively made renewable energy the scapegoat instead of the governments reflecting on what actually went awry.

Some people turned the tables by blaming the growth of wind and solar energy in Europe, when the problem was not the renewables themselves. On the contrary, this bleak situation has more to do with how the electricity system is managed.

It is time for retrospection: as more renewable energy is added to the system, other parts of the grid must be upgraded or cushioned against potential disruptions.

In Spain, a sharp and sudden dip in electricity generation was reportedly cited as the cause, particularly from solar power. As the nation reached midday, solar energy output plummeted from about 18 gigawatts to a mere 5 gigawatts within an hour. This led to a collapse in the electricity supply in the country, which spread to adjacent Portugal and France, creating a ripple effect.

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By and large, electricity grids require a steady flow; when this was disrupted, the system became unstable and affected all essential services that rely on it daily.

Unlike traditional power sources, including coal and nuclear plants, which have spinning generators to help the system continue operating during emergencies, solar and wind systems do not have spinning parts, so they will not function like their conventional counterparts at times of necessity. This capacity to work when something goes wrong is called inertia. A drawback of renewables is that they lack "grid inertia".

At the time of the blackout, about 70% of Spain's power was coming from renewable sources, with insufficient backup from rotating power sources to stabilise the grid when solar output fell.

So, to avoid similar events in the future, what is needed now is more investment in energy storage and grid technology. More batteries could store excess renewable power and release it when there is a sudden dip. In the meantime, modern grid technologies can help sustain a stable electricity frequency.

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When battery prices are falling, governments should shift focus to upgrading the grid as opposed to spending more on building solar and wind. Also, Europe's power grids are outdated and not futureproof. Many were built in the 1950s and require urgent updates, especially as electricity demand surges.

Recently, government officials met in London to discuss the need for better infrastructure, storage, and protections against extreme weather and cyber threats.

Finally, the problem is not with the renewables but how they are being managed. The electricity system needs a makeover in terms of investment and updates for survival and resilience. The recent turn of events is a wake-up call for all stakeholders to work in cohesion and understand things from different perspectives rather than cursing the renewable energy system altogether.

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Source: Reuters