A recent deep blackout in Spain has highlighted how an over-reliance on renewable energy could leave grids vulnerable.
Although the exact cause is yet to be confirmed, it is speculated that the blackout was a result of the significant amount of solar and wind energy on the Spanish grid, which is not supported by the same ‘inertia’ as coal, gas and nuclear power, which can help stabilise the grid following a disruption.
One solution to this issue is to implement advanced transmission technologies to help bypass permitting challenges that are holding up hundreds of GW of renewable projects.
Another solution could be to increase the inertia of the grid through the implementation of nuclear power and hydropower, the use of ‘grid-forming’ inverters and additional battery storage.