Mobile Tech & Gadgets

Your electric grid has several weak points

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The Spanish Government and Electricity of Spain, the operator responsible for ensuring that the Spanish electrical system is efficient and safe, have not yet announced What has caused the total electric blackout that We have suffered in Spain and Portugal For many hours. We may never get to know with absolute certainty What has triggered this collapsebut what we know is how Spanish electrical infrastructure works and what are its weak points. To identify its vulnerabilities it is crucial that we know with some precision what the structure of the network is, the role of the strategic interconnection points (they are known as nodes of the network) and how electricity is transported from the facilities in which it is generated to the places where it is consumed. An interesting note before getting into flour: 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 electricity grid has a complex structure with several critical points To understand how electrical energy is generated and how the infrastructure that is responsible for transporting it to our homes and companies works, we need to investigate the structure of the network. The first link in the chain, as we can intuit, are the centers for the generation of electricity. As we have just seen, the Spanish energy mix is ​​mainly held on wind farms, nuclear centralsphotovoltaic solar facilities, combined cycle plants and hydraulic plants. Once it has been generated in the production centers, electricity is distributed throughout the Spanish territory through A high voltage network which has 44,000 km of 220 kV and 400 kV lines. However, close to both the facilities in which electricity is generated and the places where it is consumed Electrical substations are found. These nodes of the network are responsible for transforming the voltage with the purpose that electricity can be transported with the minimal possible energy loss. This is the reason why the substations that are close to generation plants raise high voltage energy (from 200 to 400 kV). 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. Red Eléctrica de España is responsible for the administration of high voltage infrastructure, while medium and low voltage networks (15 to 30 kV) are managed by Endesa, Naturgy, Iberdrola and other energy companies. We already have a quite accurate idea about how the electricity grid is carrying electricity to our homes, but we have overlooked very important nodes: the electrical control centers. These facilities are part of the infrastructure administered by Red Eléctrica de España. They are responsible for supervising in real time the operation of the entire network to identify anomalies and prevent possible malfunction. These nodes are precisely those that are in all likelihood have a leading role in the resolution of the total blackout that we have suffered just a few hours ago. However, we still need to investigate more links more than one infrastructure that, as we are checking, is complex. On the one hand, the Spanish electricity grid is connected to the electrical infrastructure of three countries: France, through four connections with a capacity of 2,800 MW; Portugal, with several links that add up to 3,300 MW; And finally, Morocco, through a single underwater cable of 700 MW. The cooperation of France and Morocco has been crucial when restarting the Spanish electrical infrastructure. To conclude, we cannot ignore the last link in the chain: the urban transformers that we can all see in our locations and neighborhoods. They are responsible for reducing the voltage to a level that can be used by the appliances and the devices we have at home (230 volts). These are the weak points of the Spanish Electric Red We already know with some precision what the structure of the electricity network is and what role each of its nodes has, so we can understand effortlessly what makes it vulnerable. One of its most obvious weak points is The regional imbalance which occurs between excess generation in southern Spain and the high demand of the center and the northern peninsular. The facilities of Andalusia and Extremadura produce a lot of electricity, but the greatest demand does not come from these autonomous communities; It resides in Madrid, Catalonia and other communities of the North Spanish. This imbalance submits the network to an effort that requires the implementation of reinforcements that are not always available. The average and low voltage network is touching saturation in many areas In addition, the average and low voltage network is touching saturation in many areas. This simply means that the demand for electricity at some points is greater than the service capacity that is available in those areas. This causes that there are currently several thousand generation megawatts that have been requested and They cannot be delivered Because the network has reached its maximum electricity transport capacity. If we also take into account that some parts of the transport network are old and have supported for many years a great effort it is reasonable to conclude that it is necessary to reinforce them and carry out effective maintenance. Whatever this is not all. Renewable sources have more and more weight In the energy mix, while fossil origin does not stop losing relevance. There is no doubt that it is good news on the way to An energy model free of pollutant emissions in which we have embarked, but poses a challenge: the control centers that we have spoken some lines above must be able to sustain the stability of frequency and tension. It is possible, in fact, that this is the origin of the collapse that we have lived a few hours … Read more

The main tips to be prepared

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Let’s give you a few tips on How to prepare for possible blackoutswith some things that we recommend you at home and remember. Our idea is not only focusing on international catastrophic blackouts, but also being prepared for those premises that can ever occur. Therefore, we are going to give you a small list with The most essential ideas and advice For these cases. Thus, in the event that you have a blackout you can have resources to be without electricity for several hours without this being an excessive problem. Have prepared lighting The blackouts can arrive at any time. If the lighting arrives during the day, it is not a problem, but if it happens during the night it will be necessary to have something in a drawer to see. They can be candles, but too An LED flashlight Help you in key moments. The lifelong wax candles are always useful and appealed, and some always have some in a drawer. Also matches or a lighter. As for the flashlight, to be LED to consume less, and if you go to batteries you have some new prepared. But the best is A flashlight with dynamoof those that have a crank with which to load them. It is a little more tedious to use them, but you don’t need batteries, and they are a very good long -term alternative not to depend on them. Have some external battery loaded Something that can save you a lot if a blackout lasts several hours is have an external battery at home. This will help to keep your mobile loaded, and to be able to use it to inform you or to entertain you while the light is restored. Ideally, it would be at least 5,000 mAh to have a little more than a mobile load, but ideally you should have some of 10,000 mAh. If you have several ports, better, although the essential thing is that you have USB-C. Yes, make sure Always have this battery chargedbecause if when a blackout happens you realize that you did not load it again the last time you used it on a hiking or festival, it will be as if you did not have it. You can also look at the loading power, as they can be 22.5W, 40W, and many things. These amounts what they measure is the power, and the greater the faster you can load the mobile. To choose from look at the load characteristics of your mobile, they are measured in the same way, and then look for a battery that equals them. You also need the USB-C cable to support those powers so that you do not make fun and you can take advantage of it. Have a fm radio batteries When you have an electric blackout at home, your wifi leaves. And if for some reason the mobile connectivity network of your operator fails, then you will stop having access to the Internet. We have already learned that this can happen and last hours, and in these cases it is very difficult to access information from what happens. Therefore, it is convenient that you have A FM Radio Pilas by housesomething analog and “lifelong.” In these cases in which you have neither electricity nor the Internet, it will be a good means to access the stations where they are informing what happens, or simply to entertain yourself with the programming. Have canned food that does not need to cook Something that should not be missing in your pantry is to have some food cans that do not need to cook. When they are in can, they will have a long duration and they will not expire in the short and medium term, so you can have them there for any emergency that may arise. Because you can have food in the fridge, but it is not advisable to be opening it so that the cold does not go and your food does not spoil, and if your kitchen is electric will stop working. Therefore, a canned meal that is already cooked and does not need preparation is a very valuable resource This also applies to all kinds of Non -perishable foodfrom rice and preserves that we have mentioned with nuts or energy bars. Also have A manual opening to open them. If you are a campist, that gas campsite may come well at home or in a localized storage room you can access. Keep your laptops loaded If you have laptops at homeit is advisable to always keep them with a good load. Because if you leave the light but you have the Internet and want to continue working or navigate online, nothing is more frustrating than lighting your old laptop and seeing that it is decarced. Therefore, every month or a few weeks review it, keep it updated and make sure have it well loaded and turn it off correctly when you stop using it to keep the maximum battery. Have bottled water Other tips we can give you are Have bottled water at homeand if you have no low to buy it. If your neighborhood community sends water to the houses with an electric pump and there is a cut throughout the building, you may be left without water, and have to drink and do other things is important. Other tips to be taken into account In addition to what we have told you, remember to have A first aid kit at home In case you have any accident. It is also necessary to have elementary medications for mnos one or two weeks, toilet paper, menstrual products, soap, disinfectant or alcohol. Always keep the tank of your car half full to start it and use it to load devices if necessary, an important contact list, and disconnect electronic devices before the light returns to prevent a voltage peak from damaging them. In Xataka Basics | Light has gone in almost all of Spain: what to do … Read more

A “generation” disconnection, not a cyber attack

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He blackout that occurred yesterday In Spain and Portugal He raised his alarms and from the beginning The theory that could be due to a cyber attack arose. The possibilities that it was so were not too high in view of previous events, and now from Red Electric they have discounted such an option. It has not been a cyber attack. As indicated In the countryEduardo Prieto, director of the Electricity Service, has indicated in a video intervention that “we have been able to conclude that there has been no intrusion in the electricity control systems that could have caused the incident.” Almost discarded possibility completely. In his press appearance, Prieto has indicated according to El País that “with the preliminary information available” that option is ruled out. Organizations such as INCIBE or CCN had investigated the incident and have been mentioned by this person in charge of Electricity, which makes the possibility of a cyber attack. Pedro Sánchez points to another possibility. The chief of the Executive has indicated that Red Electrica has ruled out it in his transport network and stressed that “that is very good”, but also stressed that there are more data to study and that they will demand responsibilities to private operators. The option that the intrusion occurred in third parties is therefore completely eliminated. The National Court investigates the cyber attack option. The judge of the National Court José Luis Calama has opened an investigation to verify if the blackout could be an act of computer sabotage, They point out media such as the world. Neither human failure nor meteorological phenomenon. This manager also pointed out that options such as a human error or some Atmospheric phenomenon or strange meteorological, something that also Ratified Aemet this morning. “Generation disconnection”. From Red Eléctrica, two episodes of “generation disconnection” are aimed, quite possibly in reference to the Solar energy generation. The event caused In just five seconds, 60% of all energy in Spain vanished. What happens to that disconnection. The EU had already ruled out. In the early hours of the blackout, the theory that the blackout could have occurred after a cyber attack was handled. Spain is receiving numerous intrusion attempts in its critical infrastructure, but Teresa Ribera, of the EU, soon pointed out that “there is nothing that allows us to affirm that there is some kind of boycott or cyber attack.” Image | Dmitrii E. In Xataka | What is the “energy zero” and why the supply can go suddenly but it takes hours to recover

The role of renewables

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A blackout never seen It affected on Monday throughout Spain and Portugal, causing uncertainty about the reliability of the electrical system. The incident occurred just after several historical days in which the demand for energy It had been covered in its entirety by renewable sources. This situation has opened a debate on whether the lack of electric synchrony could be one of the causes. We go in parts. First of all, synchrony in an electrical system means that all generators that produce electricity (hydroelectric, thermal, nuclear centrals …) revolve at the same frequency (50Hz), keeping the supply stable. These traditional technologies help maintain network stability thanks to their large rotary masses, which act as “shock absorbers” to sudden changes in demand or generation. On the contrary, renewable sources such as solar or wind generate electricity in another way: they do not revolve at the frequency of the network by mechanical masses. They connect to the system through Electronic deviceswhich means that they do not provide natural rotational inertia and, therefore, They do not stabilize the frequency in the same way. Opening of the debate. Bloomberg Javier Blas columnist He explained that the blackout can be related to a network dominated by renewable generation at that time. However, his statement was quickly nuanced by other specialists, such as engineer Sergio Fernández Munguía, who has shared An image of the structure of the generation before the blackout. In it, the data has shown that 30% of the generation came from non -renewable sources. For his part, the expert in renewables, Xavier Cugat, He has highlighted That at that time there were 6,604 MW of large -scale large -scale generation, between nuclear, thermoso and cogeneration, ensuring that the system still had an important support of synchronous generation. In any case, the hypothesis about the lack of synchrony remains only that: a hypothesis, such as has pointed out The engineer Jorge Morales de Labra in RTVE News: “It will have been determining exactly what has failed.” Although at this last moment, the Spanish electricity network has communicated at a press conference That after a preliminary analysis the blackout has been attributed to a massive power disconnection to the Spanish electrical system in the southwest of the country, presumably of renewable energy, and has ruled out cyber attack as a cause. Synchrony so important. This is a very technical debate, such as He explained The professor associated with the Technical University of Denmark, Marta Victoria, when the balance between generation and demand is broken, the frequency of the network begins to deviate. If generators cannot react on time – because there is less mechanical inertia – the system fails to stabilize, and a waterfall disconnection occurs. The expert used a simple metaphor: “It is like a ship that leans to the side and, instead of straightening, turns.” Finally, Marta Victoria has detailed that during the blackout several generators, both solar and nuclear, were automatically disconnected from frequency oscillations. This aggravated instability and ended up causing the mass blackout. Something that is missing. For his part, the professor and researcher at Rey Juan Carlos University, Eloy Sanz He recalled That the lack of rotational mass in the system can make it harder to correct rapid imbalances between generation and demand. In its analysis, it stressed that failure events in critical infrastructure or sudden disconnections can aggravate instability, especially when the system depends largely on sources that They do not provide synchrony. In short, both agree that understanding the lack of synchrony as a vulnerability factor is important to understand the fragility that the system showed, although it cannot be affirmed that it has been the only cause. Progressive accumulated generation and storage structure at 11:00 am Right now the network. At 11:00 in the morning of April 29, about to meet 24 hours from the blackout, the Spanish electricity grid presents a stable situation. The demand is around 25,500 MW and is being mostly covered by photovoltaic solar energy (32%), hydraulics (18.7%), wind (17.7%) and combined cycle (22.2%). The system is operating with a balanced combination of synchronous technologies and not synchronous, indicating a complete technical recovery after the blackout of the previous day. Image | Pexels Xataka | The blackout has caused important smoke in several Spanish refineries: it is a sign that security systems have worked

How to load your mobile battery when there is no electricity

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Let’s tell you How to load your mobile battery when you don’t have electricityeither by some blackout in your area or for some other situation. Because in these cases it is normal for us to throw a lot of mobile, and that it is the device that we need most to have loaded. The mobile has become the environment with which we communicate, we inform ourselves and entertain ourselves, so it is important to keep it with drums. That is why we are going to give you some tips that will help you keep it loaded. Load your mobile without electricity Let’s give you a series of Methods to load the mobile without electricity at home In list format, with descriptions of why each of the methods we recommend. Of course, there should be Prepared for any light of light In some cases. These are the methods you can use: Use an external battery: If you have an external battery at home, you have a treasure in these cases. It is the main method you can use. If the battery has a good capacity of about 10,000 mAh, you should have several loads of your mobile. Plant it with your laptop’s battery: If you have a laptop at home that still has a battery and you will not use it, you can connect your mobile and use the laptop as an external battery. Of course, this will exhaust the computer battery very quickly, that is, be careful if you are going to need it. The battery of your car: You can also go to your car and connect it to one of the loaders you have. In these cases, it is important that you keep the car started, and to be able to circulate with it, so that the battery is not exhausted and you can start it later. Solar or crank batteries: There are other types of batteries or loaders that you can use, such as those that use the sun to load (although in a very slow way), or those that have a dynamo or crank to generate electricity. They are little efficient methods, but they are. Try not to use the mobile much: Finally, we are going to advise you that in these cases try not to use the mobile too much, especially not use demanding games or apps that drain the battery. Use the energy savings mode you have and reduce the brightness of the screen, also turning off Bluetooth, GPS or Wifi to maximize the battery life you have. In Xataka Basics | How to prepare for possible blackouts: the main tips to be prepared

characteristics, price and technical file

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Cmf, Nothing’s submarinehas launched its new mid -range smartphone, the CMF Phone 2 Pro. It is a terminal that points not high, but very high, and with which CMF aspires to stand up to all other brands that seek to offer a solvent proposal in the range of 200-250 euros. His new smartphone promises a lot. And for 249 euros, Nothing’s sister firm has managed to launch a mobile with a huge AMOLED screen at 120 Hz, a processor MEDATEK DIMENSITY 7300 PRO and a triple camera with Telefoto. It is a proposal of the most interesting that we will value better when we can put the glove, but in the meantime we are going to meet it a little better. Technical CMF Phone 2 Pro card CMF Phone 2 Pro dimensions and weight 164 x 78 x 7.8 mm 185 grams screen 6.77 inches AMOLED FullHD+ resolution (2,392 x 1,080 pixels) Deep 10-bit color Refresco rate: 120 Hz Tactile sampling: 480/1,000 Hz PWM Dimming: 2,160 Hz Typical brightness: 800 nits Maximum brightness: 1,300 nits Pico shine: 3,000 nits HDR10+ processor MEDATEK DIMENSITY 7300 PRO 5G RAM 8 GB Internal storage 128/256 GB rear camera Angular 50 MP, F/1.88, EIS Great angle: 8 mp, f/2.2, fov 119º Telefoto: 50 MP, F/1.85, EIS, X2 Optical Zoom Front camera 16 MP, F/2.45 battery 5,000 mAh Fast charging 33W Inverse load 5W Operating system Android 15 with Nothing OS 3.2 3 years of Android updates 6 years of security patches connectivity Dual Nanosim 5G NSA/SA Wifi 6 Bluetooth 5.3 NFC GPS others IP54 resistance Removable housing Footprint sensor under the screen Facial unlock Essential Key/Space price 12/128 GB: 249 euros 8/256 GB: 279 euros This is the CMF Phone 2 Pro CMF Phone 2 Pro | Image: CMF Withdrawal housing. As in the previous model, the CMF Phone 2 Pro offers a magnetic housing withdrawal (Something thought for customizationnot so much to repair it) and a sober, but elegant and fun industrial design at the same time. It has a thickness that does not reach eight millimeters and its weight stays in 185 grams, so although it is a big mobile, the firm has managed to keep the size at bay. To highlight the IP54 resistance and the possibility of adding accessories, such as a magnetic portfolio or a cord. A screen that is not your range. At least on paper. It is not normal for a 250 euro phone to mount a 6.77 -inch Amoled FullHD+ panel with HDR10+, A 3,000 nits peak shine and 120 Hz of soda rate. At least in the technical file look great, we will see when we try it, but it is quite likely to be facing one of the best panels in its category. CMF Phone 2 Pro | Image: CMF Mediatek under the hood. CMF has opted for a mediatek dimensity 7300 pro 5G (four Nanometers of TSMC) and eight Gigas RAM with 128 or 256 GB of internal storage. Power, in principle, should not be a problem. It comes loaded with elements such as essential key and space that inherits from the Nothing Phone (3A) and (3rd Pro)and feeds on a 5,000 mAh battery with a fast charging of 33W. The terminal, by the way, admits inverse load 5W wiring. Android with guarantees. The Phone 2 Pro of CMF arrives with nothing os 3.2 based on Android 15 and a promise: three years of Android updates and six years of security patches. Thus, the user who opts for him will enjoy Android 18. It is not the highest commitment in the marketbut an interesting proposal taken into account the price and the range. CMF Phone 2 Pro | Image: CMF Finally, Telefoto. But more interesting is the fact that a 250 euro phone offers optical zoom. This technology has historically been reserved for high -end mobiles, but Nothing has managed to take it to the most modest range. In addition to a 50 megapixel angular and a great angle of 13, the CMF Phone 2 Pro offers a 50 megapixel telescope with two -increase optical zoom. Again, it is not the most powerful zoom in the market, but it is undoubtedly a declaration of intent. Versions and price of CMF Phone 2 Pro CMF Phone 2 Pro | Image: CMF He CMF Phone 2 Pro The official sale can be reserved from today will begin on May 6. The terminal can be achieved in orange, green, gray and black and its prices are the following: CMF Phone 2 Pro 8/128 GB: 249 euros. CMF Phone 2 Pro 8/256 GB: 279 euros. Images | CMF In Xataka | Nothing Phone (3A) Pro, Analysis: Appearances do not deceive … or with Nothing Phone

The six basic technologies that we recommend for your own “survival kit” before a blackout

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On March 26, the European Commissioner for Crisis Preparation and Management shared a video in which he detailed the elements that should include A Survival Kit. Yesterday, March 28, there was something unusual in Spain: A blackout that paralyzed the country. 60% of all the energy of the country fell spuided in a few seconds And, although security systems They went into actionit was not well into the night when the light, coverage and tranquility made their way through the Peninsula again. And what accompanied us in moments of loneliness and darkness were the technologies of the twentieth century that we thought surpassed. Twentieth century technologies to the rescue of the blackout In it Preparation Kitthe European commissioner explained that we had to have elements such as the identity document, cash, a flashlight, a lighter, a razor, a power bank, a radio, water and some food. The idea is to be able to survive for 72 hours with them, but although it is complicated (or that we hope) that a blackout like this Monday is repeated again, the truth is that it is not so bad idea to have a kit of this style at home. The reason? They were technologies that we believed obsolete those that helped us many during the night And, eye, during meals. There are elements of the EU kit that would help us little in this situation, but beyond that ‘backpack’, it would be interesting to have another preparation with certain basic elements for a blackout, last a few hours or paralize a country, like yesterday. Our recommendation would be as follows: Batteries – A basic. When it was confirmed that the situation was going for long, you could see tails in Chinese hardware stores and bazaars to get this type of batteries. They came to see posters warning about the availability of batteries in some shops and it is evident that they became an indispensable element for many to rescue another object they had in the drawer. Have a Pilas package At home it is not a bad idea and also They can be rechargeable Whenever we have the forecast to leave them loaded in case anything happens. Photo | Andrés Mohorte, Xataka Flashlights – The ideal companions of the batteries. It is ‘easy’ to have a flashlight at home, but it is also likely that many do not even know where it is. Have one flashlightand not only by drums, it is a good idea in these situations, but there are variants. For example, round light points based on a surface. Also what I used in my house: LED bulbs What use for photography, but that they go with His own batteriesThey last hours and give a lot of light even at the lowest level. Radio – The element that accompanied many yesterday. A small radio That it works better than with battery, since it will not consume resources of a Power Bank that we can use on the mobile and other elements. And it is something that reflected a lack that important mobiles have. You can go to the mobile looking for a radio app and you will find that, in their vast majority, they no longer have radio. Some old ones that we had at home may include it, but after this, and even if it will only be used once or twice in life, it is clear that manufacturers They should not cut something like that. Gas Camping – Those three elements are the basics that EU recommends and allow us to be informed and enlightened, but … What happens to food? The ‘vitro’ and the induction system became useless, but if you do not have a butane or gas kitchen, perhaps it would be interesting to have a gas camping system. Yes, it sounds like a spectacular pot, but there are kits that, With a ridiculous size And good design, allow us to save it in a ridiculous space and be prepared to cook during a blackout. You have to buy some gas bottlesOf course, but the whole occupies little space and is useful even to cook certain dishes at home even if you have light. And a lighter or matches is not a bad idea either. Stoves – This blackout has caught us with temperatures that exceed 20º in many parts of the Peninsula, but a conversation I had was “less bad that it did not catch us in the middle of winter.” If we have butane or propane, there are heaters that occupy little and connect directly to the bottle. But there is also small heater Like the gas campsing that are more autonomous by not needing a bottle to work. SAI / Power Bank – Have one, or several, Power Bank At home it is not a bad idea. Not before a blackout, but before any type of long trip. Have some small ones for the mobile and A bigger And powerful that, even, I can feed a laptop or simply have more capacity to load mobiles, it is a good idea. And, if you work at home, maybe something like a SAI (Uninterrupted feeding system) It is not a bad idea. It’s like a giant power bank that gives you the option to safely turn off your PC and There are models With USB that allow us to load many devices thanks to both their capacity and its power. Having these elements is something that makes us more enjoyable those hours of blackout. And it seems a lie, but I, who had not turned to the radio for years, I was glad when I could start an old mobile with FM radio. And I also had many batteries at home, but nothing useful in introducing them. Lesson learned. Princincop image | Ricardo Aguilar In Xataka | After the blackout, Adif has a problem on its ways: three “lost” trains in remote states of the network

What to do with all that meal at room temperature

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The day After the blackoutendless doubts, anguish and uncertainties They gather in the Spanish population. But there is one that nobody can ignore: what do I do with what is inside the refrigerator? That is to say, After more than 12 hours without lightCan we safely consume what we have stored? How can we know? This is what experts say What to do during a blackout? Although this group of recommendations goes something late, it is good to review it to analyze what we have done during this blackout and what risks we have exposed. And the general answer is: nothing. What experts recommend is Do not open refrigerators and freezers; or do it as deeply. To start, because, In general terms And if we do not open the doors, the refrigerators can keep an adequate temperature for food up to four hours. The freezers, up to 48 hours if they are full (24 hours if it is at half capacity). And every time we open the doors, “we lose time” useful. As Gemma del Caño explainedperhaps the only exception is to open them only to group food because they are better preserved. And then? If the temperature has exceeded 15 degrees, it is a bad sign. If they have not reached it, it is best to go food for food. The general recommendation is to discard: Fresh or raw meat and fish of any kind. Salads of any kind. Leftovers of pasta and rice. Preparations with raw or little cooked eggs. Sauces, broths and fillings. FIAMBRES AND OPEN CHARCER. Guisos, soups, stews and potajes. Fish, seafood or meat cans and open semi -conservations. Raw eggs. Already cut fruits and vegetables. Pre -cut and/or prelavated green leaves. Cheeses and other open fresh dairy products. Lácteos desserts and sweets or with cream or egg fillings On the other hand, foods that endure better: Whole fruits and vegetables. Yogurts and other free fermented dairy products. Hard cheeses. Foods without expiration or preferred consumption date. Completely cooked eggs (better discard if they have been exposed to more than 5ºC for more than 4 hours). Acid sauces, with vinegar, salty or sweet (vinaigrettes, soy sauce, barbecue sauce, ketchup, mustard …). Pickles and pickles. Jams and jellies. Sauscids and guys unopened (sausage, fuel, sausage, serrano ham void, cecina …). Not only have to look at the smell (which can deceive us), but the general state. In addition, we can take into account the expiration date (or preferred consumption) when making the decision. How to know if food is right or is wrong? As a general rule, experts agree that it is better to prevent cure. Faced with the doubt, The recommendation is simple: Throw it. And it makes sense: an poisoning can be very dangerous and no one can generate advice that is applicable in a general way. For example, A key aspect It is the power to which we had the device working: if it was at a lower temperature (about 2-4ºC) it will remain cold longer than if it was at a higher one (at 5-6ºC). At the moment of truth, the final assessment can only be made. Cook (and clean) well. That is the last part of the matter: everything that stays in the fridge should be cooked very well to minimize risks. In the same way, if there is food in poor condition, it is not enough to throw it. It is recommended Clean the refrigerator; Remove the drawers, scrub them and disinfect them. Image | NRD In Xataka | How to know if the food of the fridge and freezer has broken down into a blackout: what to do after 10 hours without light

Having solar panels at home sounds very good in case of national blackout. The problem is that they don’t work

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The national blackout that Spain has suffered It has been historicalbut has also sown the doubt. While the vast majority of citizens ran out of light, in the street there was “life” in some supermarkets or marques that made the use of other renewable alternatives. Surely also, today more than ever many will ask about the need to have a solar installation in their home, which leads us to another question: how does a network of domestic panels work before a national blackout? Installation in normal conditions. Before talking about the case of a blackout as the one that occurred in Spain, it is convenient to explain the most basic of A “standard” installation In a typical home. In most cases, solar panels capture the radiation of the sun and generate what we call DC (DC). This current passes through an investor that converts it in turn in alternating current (CA), and that is precisely what we use in homes. In Spain and in almost all countries, most solar facilities are connected to the electricity network (known systems as on-Grid). This allows, on the one hand, to consume solar energy directly in the house. On the other, pour the surplus to the network (which entitles economic compensation, such as the net balance or Simplified compensation). Finally, of course, it allows you to receive electricity from the network when there is not enough solar generation (for example, at night or on cloudy days). The problem occurs when there is a situation like that occurred yesterday. Installation in blackouts. When you have a photovoltaic installation in the house of only panels and there is a blackout, something contradictory but very important happens: even if you have solar panels working, the sky is sunny and the beginning of the day, your house is also It is left without electricity. As? Yes, this occurs by security regulations (for example, in Europe under the standard VDE 0126-1-1 and similar), all solar investors connected to the network must detect the loss of tension and turn off immediately, is what is called Anti-Isla protection. The reason? The reason for this “cut” is to protect network maintenance technicians: if there were thousands of houses by sending electricity to a supposedly “dead” network, it could be lethal for workers They are at that time repairing the failure. Therefore, if you have only solar panels connected to the network, you cannot use electricity during a blackout. Your solar panels are automatically disconnected. There is no more. The solution: batteries. If you also have batteries, the thing changes, although here the situation varies depending on the type of investor and configuration you have. If you have hybrid investors (solar + battery), there are modern investors that already allow to continue operating in what is called Island or back-up mode. This means that when they detect a blackout, they are physically disconnected from the network and come to feed only your house using solar energy and energy stored in your batteries. In addition, there are also systems for backup investors (The so-called back-up inverters), where a separate system is used that can feed a specific part of the house (for example, fridge, essential lights or internet). One More Thing. But even so, for this to work you need lithium or lead batteries properly sizeda hybrid investor compatible with operation in island mode or an inverter with backup function (Back-UP), a automatic cutting system that separates your home from the public network in case of blackout guaranteeing safety, and finally an electrical panel prepared to isolate non-essential loads (for example, it makes no sense to keep the electric oven or air conditioning on if the energy is limited). In any case and to place all this in perspective in the Spanish landscape, only 33% of facilities Current domestic lots in Spain include batteries. This means that most households with solar panels would continue to suffer electric cuts during a blackout like the one that occurred yesterday. The reasons are very varied, but the extra cost of investment of them after the solar installation (already large) is key. The promise of self -supply. All this leads to a final question: Is it possible to be self -sufficient (energetically) in Spain? The short response is no. The promise of solar self -supply on the peninsula is based on taking advantage of the high solar radiation (Spain receives on average between 1,600 and 2,000 kWh/m²/year) to generate clean energy and reduce dependence on the electricity grid, especially in single -family homes. Thanks to photovoltaic self -consumption and the Price drop Of the solar panels (more than 80% have fallen in the last decade), today it is technically possible to cover between 60% and 80% of the annual consumption of an average house in Spain only with solar energy, and in some cases, almost 100% If appropriate storage batteries are installed (although with the network hitch). The problem. However, self -supply has important limits: solar production is intermittent (there is no generation of night and lowers a lot in winter or cloudy days), the batteries remain expensive (between 4,000 and 9,000 euros a complete domestic installation) and its capacity only allows a few hours or days of autonomy without network. Plus: We already said it, the current legislation requires that the systems connected to the network be disconnected in blackouts if they are not equipped to function in Isla mode, which implies that, without a specific design (and of large disbursement), even with solar panels, you could run out of electricity in general cuts. Image | Pxhere In Xataka | What is the “energy zero” and why the supply can go suddenly but it takes hours to recover In Xataka | Spain is dark: a general blackout has left us all without light

The blackout in Spain has demonstrated which is the ideal means to inform in a crisis: the radio

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In the minutes that followed the Broady in Spain and Portugal At 12:32 yesterday, millions of people They wondered The same: “What happened.” In other crises, television, newspapers and of course the Internet are the clear alternatives to find out what is happening, but yesterday that was not possible. Almost everything failed, but there was a means of communication that allowed us to keep us informed: the radio. Where is the FM radio of the mobiles. The fragility of our communications caused the radio to erect as a unique solution to keep us informed. The mobiles had support for FM radio years, but this feature has disappeared in all current models. In fact It went from being an extra desired to an exclusive function of cheaper models. Something older mobiles do have that function by connecting headphones (which bend as antenna), and that allowed those who still have any of those mobiles could be informed thanks to that functionat least while the mobile battery lasted. Some brands keep them in some models. Xiaomi is one of the manufacturers that still includes support for FM radio in some of its Redmi family models, but of course not all. He Xiaomi Redmi Note 14s or the Redmi 14c They are good examples. The normal thing is that in recent terminals we will not find that option, which we can enable in older mobiles (such as Little m5he Motorola G73 5g or the Samsung Galaxy M23 5g) and also in input range terminals and in less extended brands such as Doogee or Ulefone. Radio as informative lifeguards. Without light there was no television or wifi in houses and offices, and connect to the Internet It was an odyssey all day: Mobile lines, the only ones that could give a way out, worked irregularly … If they worked. And yet, the radio worked without apparent problems. Transistor to batteries. Meanwhile, those still kept a battery transistor at home could be informed thanks to the radio stations continued to broadcast during the blackout. These transistors became the salvation of many citizens, who either had radios in their homes or gathered in the streets around vehicles with analog radios or that could listen to the radio What other people had in the streets or on the terraces. They were also one of the products that They sold out more quickly in shops that remained active during the blackout. Why the stations continued to work. Augusto Molina and Héctor Zafra are respectively the technical director and the technical manager of the SER, and explained In a piece in this medium The way of proceeding in these emergency cases. The first thing they did was turn off monitors and all the teams that could be turned off to save to the fullest. That allowed maximizing the autonomy of emergency equipment that is used in these cases, and that were the key both in the SER chain and other stations. Electrogen equipment. These structure (motorogener) groups are machines that generate electricity through an internal combustion engine. They make use of fossil fuels (gasoline, diesel) and allow generating electricity while the fuel lasts. Are the teams that They are used in hospitals to maintain a good part of the essential services during this type of energy crisis. Several stations survived the blackout. National Radio of Spain kept for example emissions, such as They also did wave zero, the Cope chainthe aforementioned chain and other stations – although not all – and broadcasters who could continue to inform thanks to those emergency teams that were activated during the blackout. Radio as lifeguard in emergency situations. What happened yesterday has revealed the relevance of the radio as an ideal means of communication to emergencies. There have been numerous cases in the story in which that has become evident. In our country they stand out for example The coup d’etat of 23-F In Spain, in 11m or more recent attacks The Dana that ravaged the Valencian Community and that caused the majority of the electric laying. Transistors, both in one and another, allowed to remain informed. Image | Xataka In Xataka | Five annual pounds and a telephone line: how the electrophone, the “spotify” of the nineteenth century worked

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