Power outage

[SspewixzzZ]

This suddenly reminds me of the huge wind turbines back in my hometown…
They stand in the only city in China without mountains or hills …with that odd sense of contrast between reed fields, mist-shrouded countryside, and towering machines.

EDIT: Despite the fact that the local thermal power plants already generate more than enough electricity—so much so that I’ve heard the color-changing neon lights installed under overpasses are meant to consume the excess power and avoid putting too much strain on the grid—I still have no idea where the electricity from these newly installed wind farms ultimately goes.
It’s been a long time since I last went back; the last time I did, I even saw an enormous wind turbine blade being transported on a truck along the road.

 

[Justo Miranda]

The Spanish electricity grid collapses: new requests for connection points for housing, data centers or industry will not be able to be accepted

The Spanish electricity grid is facing a critical bottleneck, collapsed in many areas, severely limiting the connection of new industries, data centers and renewable projects due to outdated or insufficient infrastructure

. This situation puts millionaire investments at risk, with severe restrictions in regions such as Aragon, Andalusia and the Basque Country.

Access blocking: In 2024, utilities denied 49% of network access requests for new industrial projects and data centers.

Collapse in 2026: By early 2026, the network is considered collapsed, preventing new requests for connection points.

Consequences: Tens of billions of euros in industrial investments are being lost or paralyzed.

Shock measures: The National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) is activating pilots for large consumers to participate in voltage control and avoid total blockage.

Old networks: Much of the transport infrastructure is close to half a century old, which limits its ability to adapt to new demand.

The sector is urgently calling for an agreement with Red Eléctrica de España (REE) and the distributors to speed up connections and modernize the grid.

 

[T. A. Gardner]

With solar the key metric is the kilowatt day, not hour. The EIC in the US, among others uses cost analysis methods that are based on the assumption that power supplies are continuous in operation, not intermittent. Even giving solar a capacity factor of 20 to 25% doesn't fix that problem because it doesn't recognize the need for alternate generation when solar (or wind) are off-line on a daily basis.

To get a kw/day of power from solar--and this is rough but illustrative--you need about 5 or 6 kw of installed capacity. You also need about 14 to 16 kwh of installed storage (batteries) to go with that. It breaks down thus:

1 kw of generation is needed when the sun is shining.
1 kw of generation for irregularities in output due to weather
3 or 4 kw of generation to charge the batteries for when the sun isn't shining or output falls below 1 kw.

By comparison, for 1 kw/day from natural gas or nuclear (conventional generation) you need 1 kw of installed capacity. The alternative for solar is to build 1 kw of generation capacity and use it when possible, to power your grid and have 1 kw of some alternate means of generation on standby for when solar isn't available.

The bottom line here is that solar ends up being grotesquely expensive and complicated to power a grid with compared to just building conventional--and reliable--generation sources. When you use kilowatt-days for system design solar comes out as the worst, most costly, method of generation there is.

 

[MadRat]

Terrestial solar is expensive. It is 5x more powerful once you get into geosynchronized orbit. At my latitude solar is very price effective during hurricane season, which is why I have it. Wind turbines are cost effective on about 16% of the Earth's surface. Politicians push it as a one-size fits all solution, which it is not. Geothermal is expensive upfront, but extrapolated over time it is extremely cost effective. Every solution must be matched for the correct situation and goal.