Re: Grand Apagon - Electricity (not) in Spain

On 2025-05-04 07:57, Bill Sloman wrote:

On 4/05/2025 5:17 am, Jeroen Belleman wrote:

On 5/3/25 20:30, john larkin wrote:

On Sat, 3 May 2025 19:23:11 +0200, Jeroen Belleman
<jeroen@nospam.please> wrote:
>

On 5/3/25 17:12, john larkin wrote:

On Sat, 3 May 2025 14:24:07 +0200, "Carlos E.R."
<robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:
>

On 2025-05-02 12:03, Martin Brown wrote:

On 01/05/2025 18:41, Bill Sloman wrote:

On 2/05/2025 2:21 am, Liz Tuddenham wrote:

Bill Sloman <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote:
>

On 30/04/2025 7:59 pm, Liz Tuddenham wrote:

Bill Sloman <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote:

 <snip>
 

>
Most run at the MPPT point, so have no reserve to save the grid. And a
lot of cloud cover or still wind will precipitate the very crisis that
needs reserve.

>
With the contribution of solar and wind being oblivious of demand,
the burden of keeping the grid stable must be taken up by thermal
or hydro power plants.

 The contributions of wind and solar don't have to be oblivious of demand - wind turbines can be feathered and photovoltaic cells can be run at higher voltages and lower currents than would give maximum power transfer.
 In fact when you have a variable generating capacity, you need short term storage to smooth it out. Pumped hydroelectric storage has been around for decades now, and grid scale batteries are becoming popular. though the South Australian Hornsdale Reserve was the first one installed back in 2017.
 

When Spain's grid crashed, PV amounted to
well over 50% of the total supply. It makes me wonder why it didn't
crash sooner.

 It make me wonder why they didn't have any grid scale scale storage.
Bureaucrats are averse to innovation, but they shouldn't be quite that ignorant. Carlos says that some of the Spanish island communities already have grid scale batteries - so it looks like bureaucratic inertia.

They have it because they need them more. They run isolated, they can not rely on others to smooth their loads. As a result, some islands have successfully run for days on solar/wind only.
I asked chatgpt:
You said:
Have the Canary Islands or the Balearic Islands installed grid scale batteries?
ChatGPT said:
Yes, both the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands are actively implementing grid-scale battery storage projects to enhance energy security and support the integration of renewable energy sources.
⚡ Canary Islands
The Canary Islands are advancing several significant energy storage initiatives:
evwind.es+6REE+6REE+6
    * Salto de Chira Pumped-Storage Hydroelectric Station (Gran Canaria): This €400 million project, expected to be operational by 2026, will integrate renewable energy, increasing its contribution by 37% and reducing CO₂ emissions by 20% .
     REE+1REE+1
    * Hybrid Storage System in Lanzarote: A pioneering hybrid system combining lithium-ion batteries and ultracapacitors is under development to stabilize the Lanzarote-Fuerteventura grid .
     pv magazine International+1Energy Storage+1
    * El Matorral Solar Plant with Battery Storage (Gran Canaria): Endesa plans to build a 9.3 MW solar plant with a 10.37 MWh battery storage capacity, aiming for completion by 2026 .
     evwind.es
🌴 Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are also progressing with substantial battery storage projects:
REE
    * Mercadal and Sant Antoni Substations (Menorca and Ibiza): Red Eléctrica has awarded a €99.9 million contract to NHOA Energy to supply 140 MW/105 MWh of battery storage, enhancing grid stability and supporting renewable energy integration .
     La Voz De Ibiza+3Energy Storage+3REE+3
    * Son Orlandis Solar Farm (Mallorca): Endesa has commissioned a 1.1 MW/5.5 MWh vanadium redox flow battery, the largest of its kind in Europe, to support long-duration storage needs .
     Renewables Now
    * V2G Charging Network Pilot (Multiple Islands): ACCIONA Energía is implementing Spain's first bi-directional electric vehicle charging network, enabling vehicles to store and supply electricity to the grid, enhancing energy storage capabilities .
     solutions.acciona-energia.com
These initiatives reflect a strong commitment in both archipelagos to modernize energy infrastructure, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and facilitate the transition to renewable energy sources.
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--
Cheers, Carlos.