A stabilization of poor electricity

In 2024 23.2% of Electricity of the Spanish Energy Mix It had a wind origin; 20%, nuclear; 17%, photovoltaic solar; 13.6%, combined cycle; 13.3%, hydraulic; and the rest proceeded from the burning of coal or other renewable sources. The accounts are very simple: during the year we have left behind More than 50% of electricity production It had a renewable origin. And presumably In 2025 the total energy balance It will not be very different.

The Government of Spain has created an investigation commission that seeks to identify the causes of the total blackout that we suffer throughout the country on April 28. However, during the last days in the media and social networks Some experts have indicated the need for a country with such a high production of Energy of renewable origin have an effective stabilization system. The intermittent nature of renewable sources justifies this thesis.

The Spanish energy mix needs a stabilization system of the robust network

The figures that we have reviewed a few lines above Nuclear energy for the moment too holds an important contributionalthough in this article we are interested in repairing a very relevant difference between both forms of electricity generation: its continuous or intermittent character.

Nuclear reactors produce energy in an essentially constant way as long as it is not necessary to undertake Fuel recharge or carry out installation maintenance operations. However, wind and photovoltaic energies, of course, depend on the availability of wind and solar radiation. This obvious behavior explains Why are intermittent energy sources. However, there is something that is not obvious: the electricity grid must maintain a permanent balance between generation capacity and consumption.

This simply means that wind farms, nuclear plants, photovoltaic solar facilities, combined cycle plants and hydraulic plants that are connected to the Spanish electricity grid should be able to deliver at all times the electricity that is being sued. Otherwise there would be an imbalance between the generation capacity and the consumption that could trigger very important problems in the electricity supply. I could even justify a total blackout like the one we experienced just a week ago.

The two parameters that we are interested in knowing to understand why this imbalance is problematic are the frequency and voltage or voltage. The Spanish electricity grid, like those of our European neighbors, works with alternating current at 50 Hz or cycles per second. When we investigate the panorama, the panorama is complicated a bit, but not too much. Electricity is distributed throughout the Spanish territory through a high voltage network that has 44,000 km of 220 kV and 400 kV lines.

Once electricity is close to the points where intermediate substations will be consumed are responsible for reducing the voltage to 132 kV. In medium and low voltage networks, electricity has a voltage of 15 to 30 kV, and, finally, local transformers reduce it to 230 volts for domestic use in our homes and shops, OA 400 volts for industry and large consumption centers. The problem appears when for the reason that is the electrical infrastructure undergoes a significant deviation of frequency or voltage.

An important imbalance between the planned generation for renewables from meteorological models and real generation can cause it to occur an excess energy that is not assumed by consumption. Renewable sources do not have a mechanical inertia system that allows them to quickly correct that difference, so it is possible that a deviation of the frequency and tension of the ability to compromise infrastructure performance is tried.

The nuclear and thermal plants, however, have a rotating mass that acquires the inertia necessary to cushion the sudden changes of their generation capacity. Fortunately, these imbalances can be avoided, but to do so it is essential to have energy storage systems or reversible pumping to deliver or absorb power when necessary.

Synthetic inertia systems that mimic the behavior of rotating masses can also help renewables correct the imbalances between demand and generation quickly. Such a heterogeneous energy mix As Spanish can work properly, but it is essential that you have a stabilization of the robust and efficient electricity network. Otherwise the quality and reliability of the electricity supply will be compromised.

Image | Kindel Media

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