Spain and Portugal's blackout: A wake-up call for energy policy makers

IF WE ARE serious about securing a resilient, sustainable future, we must learn the right lessons — and fast.

- DR ADRIAN BLANCK

Intermittent Renewables: An Engineering Challenge, Not a Silver Bullet

Over the past decade, Iberia has significantly expanded its renewable generation capacity, adding vast amounts of wind and solar to the grid.

Yet behind the headlines, one unavoidable fact remains: Renewable energy is intermittent by nature — and storage technologies remain prohibitively expensive, inefficient, or geographically constrained. Without sufficient storage, the inherent variability of renewables injects instability into the grid. Modern grids are designed to balance predictable flows, not to absorb infinite volatility without consequence.

The Forgotten Fundamentals of Electricity: Synchronization and Stability

Électricity is not merely generated — it must flow through high-voltage grids to reach consumers. For this to happen seamlessly, different segments of the grid must be synchronized, operating at a standardized frequency (50 Hz in Europe).

Large traditional power plants — through their rotating generators — stabilize the system, keeping grids "in sync." When variability increases beyond manageable thresholds, phase mismatch and frequency drift occur, compromising the ability to safely connect grids.

High-Voltage Transmission Lines: The Invisible Backbone

Electricity is transmitted across high-voltage lines — typically operating at 220 kV, 310 kV, or 400 kV for intra-country and inter-regional networks within the EU.