After Spain's blackout, its shift to renewables and grid evolution power on • Hacker News Board

Re: After Spain's blackout, its shift to renewables and grid evolution power on

#41

Post by krona » Wed, Apr 29, 2026, 8:27 AM UTC

no-name-here wrote: post #38

zxspectrum1982 wrote: post #35

That article is a piece of horseshit. It was indeed the renewables (too much of them) that caused the blackout, as independent and regulatory investigations have revealed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Iberian_Peninsula_blackou...

From the specific section you linked: > Chair of the ENTSO-E Board of Directors, stated: "The problem is not renewable energy, but voltage control, regardless of the type of generation"

True, but it conveniently hides the fact that voltage control becomes more of a problem in a low inductance environment.

Re: After Spain's blackout, its shift to renewables and grid evolution power on

#42

Post by elmolino89 » Wed, Apr 29, 2026, 1:00 PM UTC

x______________ wrote: post #36

mbonnet wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

what is the point of this comment?

A quick check at comment history shows a few replies with cancer as the main topic. My guess would be the nature of the topic being on top of op's mind; adding the worst-case scenario of how a city-wide power outage would affect them (painting a realistic picture of life that is not all song and dance and free drinks as laid out by the original op). Be safe and well op.

Thank you for your kind words. Sorry for the Captain's Obvious a bit rude comment. It just happened that me and my partner were battling traffic using rickety road through the hills above the Barcelona to get on time for a chemotherapy session. Just to be told that due to the blackout it must be postponed for a few days. Luckily nothing serious in the long run, but nevertheless rather annoying. Because of the traffic jams and lack of mobile coverage for many hours in various locations in Spain I am quite sure there were some extra fatalities.

Thinking about it, there is nothing wrong writing about unexpected pleasures of that day. Just that we keep in mind the fact that blackouts have this non-hipstery, rather serious aspects.

PS I am doing ok-eish, splendid even considering the initial diagnosis (pancreatic cancer 1b stage diagnosed in December 2024). Maybe still way too touchy about some topic apparently triggering me.

Re: After Spain's blackout, its shift to renewables and grid evolution power on

#43

Post by kalessin » Wed, Apr 29, 2026, 10:36 PM UTC

bobthepanda wrote: post #12

kalessin wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When you consider the intermittency of renewables, and you should, fuel suddenly becomes an issue again.

But you need less than if you were to go fully fueled. One hedges the other.

Absolutely, and that's different than saying « they don't really require ongoing fuel shipments ».

Re: After Spain's blackout, its shift to renewables and grid evolution power on

#44

Post by bobthepanda » Thu, Apr 30, 2026, 2:23 PM UTC

kalessin wrote: post #43

bobthepanda wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But you need less than if you were to go fully fueled. One hedges the other.

Absolutely, and that's different than saying « they don't really require ongoing fuel shipments ».

If you have batteries, those also don’t need fuel shipments.

But the evidence is literally in the article.