Re: The Physics Behind the Spanish Blackout

On 2025-06-10 12:08, Liz Tuddenham wrote:

Carlos E.R. <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:
 [...]

>
Solar and wind can be made to impose a gigantic inertia with
appropriate
electronics. You can fixate the output at 50Hz, locked no matter what.

>
Only if the surplus energy is available to supply the necessary current.

>
Not needed.
>

>
Why not?

>
Think about it. Inverters can be locked in frequency to any timing
source.

 If the source (grid) starts to fall in frequency the inverter will
either have to keep in step with it or supply massive currents as the
phase difference between the inverter and the grid begins to increase.
If the inverter tries to stay on-frequency, the time will come when they
are 180-degrees out of step, then things will get far too exciting.

Sure, same as any rotating mass that tries to oppose the drift. The thing is, inverters have more "inertia" than rotating masses with a turbine of the same power, if so configured or programmed to do. Aggregating all of them, that's a huge inertia, way larger than rotating masses.
Say, program to oppose 1% the drift. Whatever. There are engineers that can study and decide what to do.
I can only say, if the cause of the Gran Apagón is found eventually to be the lack of inertia in wind and solar generators, it is just a matter of reprogramming the inverters or replacing them. An engineering and economics problem, not a political one.
--
Cheers, Carlos.