Post AvHvYj9bsMsgqPfjfM by X31Andy@mastodon.green
(DIR) More posts by X31Andy@mastodon.green
(DIR) Post #AvHYWLXeOfJE5ToRvc by collectifission@greennuclear.online
2025-06-19T07:43:47Z
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Spanish Black out the - The ReportI will have more to say on this later, but below is what happend if you don't want to wade through all 180 pages in Spanish:1. On the day, the system did not have enough large synchronous generators online to control voltage. This was due to some thermal plants being unavailable— the TSO did not replace them with alternative voltage-controlling units. Over 80% of the generation was inverter based.2. Earlier in the morning, before the blackout, the system experienced multiple oscillations. The TSO took lots of actions to dampen these (including meshing x10 400 kV circuits, switching the DC interconnectors with France to constant power mode, and disconnecting shunt reactors). These actions successfully stopped the oscillations—but, and it is a big but - they also caused voltage to rise and made the system much less flexible in managing it. With over 82% of generation now inverter-based, and few synchronous units available, the system became ‘stiff’ to voltage control. The stage was set.3. The first generators tripped on overvoltage—even though voltages were still within the grid code limits. This was wrong settings or insufficient ride-through capability. Questions on compliance.4. From there it was downhill. The system lacked enough voltage control resources—and those still connected did not behave as they should. Generators that should have been absorbing reactive power were not doing so sufficiently, and some were even injecting reactive power. This led to increasing voltage rise, triggering even more generator trips until the system collapsed entirely.Basically, the system operator got it very wrong in terms of voltage control.Thanks to Javier Blas for the report late last night.[original text by Simon Gallagher @simoncgallagher as posted on X]Link to report: https://d1n1o4zeyfu21r.cloudfront.net/WEB_Incidente_SistemaElectricoPeninsularEspanol_18junio2025.pdf
(DIR) Post #AvHYWN3wk4jknvvkuG by collectifission@greennuclear.online
2025-06-19T07:50:03Z
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My conclusions: it's too easy to say the grid operator is to blame, although that was certainly a big part of it. A main culprit was the lack of spinning reserve, or "inertia", on the network. The cause of this, besides maintenance, is the enormous amount of solar energy on the network. Above a certain level, therefore, it becomes risky to deploy (or rather, overdeploy) PV panels on the grid.The grid is a complex machine, and the causes of a blackout are likewise multifaceted. But we can't dismiss the role of solar energy in this case. I've seen too many posts on my timeline yesterday putting the blame squarely at the grid operator which, now that I know of this, seems too one sided as a conclusion.
(DIR) Post #AvHYWOJw477YhoQ2T2 by publius@mastodon.sdf.org
2025-06-19T08:09:21Z
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@collectifission Basically, inverters don't behave like rotating machines, and can't be treated as though they do. And the AC grid is based on the physics of rotating machines.I'm going to say it now : If you want to incorporate large quantities of non-rotating power sources, you're going to need to convert your grid to HVDC, and install inverters at the substations to serve the AC loads locally. But nobody, and I mean NOBODY, wants to consider the cost of that. So instead they pretend.
(DIR) Post #AvHf7icW9b9G6UIDmS by X31Andy@mastodon.green
2025-06-19T09:23:21Z
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@publius @collectifission Having AC on the core grid gives a lot of advantages as it is easy to voltage convert and you don't have to worry about ground reference (Delta configuration).The issue with many inverters is they don't have high fault current capabilities unlike heavy spinning rotors in generators and synchronous condensers. This also means they can't deliver Frequency Control and ancillary services FCAS to the grid. [1/2]
(DIR) Post #AvHvYj9bsMsgqPfjfM by X31Andy@mastodon.green
2025-06-19T09:23:37Z
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@publius @collectifission The solution to this is to increase battery storage and include advanced heavy duty inverters to deliver FCAS. You can do this with wind and solar inverters providing they are delivering power (it is sunny or windy) but it cannot be guaranteed, hence the need for batteries.Spinning rotors aren't magical - you can do everything they offer with inverters if you get the right types.[2/2]
(DIR) Post #AvHvYkJZYoRcRbLCpk by publius@mastodon.sdf.org
2025-06-19T12:27:31Z
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@X31Andy @collectifission I mean, that's certainly a solution, but — much like “carbon capture and storage” — it's the sort of solution you tend to get after you pre–emptively exclude all the solutions that make more sense.http://www.atomicbla.st/pages/2024-06.html#p16