How micro -redes fit into the energy puzzle

In recent years, Spain has turned the sun In his best ally for photovoltaic generation. However, the April 28 blackout has evidenced the lack of effective integration in the electricity network.

Short. Until now, the first image that always accompanies renewables are batteries, but there is another network coupling system: micro -redes or micrographs. According to He explained Borja Santos, CEO of Full & Fast, for Europa Press, micro -redes are autonomous energy systems composed of a power converter and a battery system. These systems receive all energy inputs and outputs from different sources, such as structure, solar panels or even conventional electricity.

Deeper. The micro -redes They operate through storage systems that allow accumulating the energy generated at times of low demand or high production. This stored energy can then be released at critical moments, guaranteeing system stability. This model not only provides supply security, but also offers economic opportunities by managing stored energy and releasing it when the market price is more favorable.

When the energy zero arrived. In case of a main supply drop, the MICRORRED can continue to function independently, maintaining the continuity of the energy service for its users. In other words, micro -redes act as a “network within the network”, allowing communities, industries or rural areas to continue operating without interruptions, even if the national electrical system collapses, such as has detailed Borja Santos.

In addition, he added that the blackout revealed the lack of systems capable of generating its own voltage and frequency reference. The micro-redes, on the contrary, can do so, thus preventing the systems from entering in a state of “stand-by” as happened in Spain. In other words, what gives you the micorred is self -sufficiency and the ability to continue operating and working uninterruptedly, there is light or not.

A country with solar overcapacity. Spain has invested massively in solar parks, but, like has pointed out The former Minister of Public Administration, Jordi Sevilla, the electrical system has not adapted to this new reality. Seville has warned that “the generation points connected to the transport network have been multiplied, as well as its geographical distribution,” which has increased the complexity of managing the electrical system. In addition, he explained that the normative proposals presented by Red Electrica to regulate photovoltaic investors have been in the Ministry’s drawers for years, while the network still does not adapt to the new realities of the energy mix.

However, the problem does not lies in generation capacity, but in the inability to manage it effectively. In this sense, Borja Santos has pointed out That “in Spain there is overcapacity of solar generation, but those solar parks confront a problem: they generate maximum energy when you least pay the market”, which reduces profitability for investors.

The implementation. Despite the potential of the micrordes, their mass implementation in Spain faces several challenges. On the one hand, the current regulation does not sufficiently encourage the development of these systems, and the normative proposals that would allow renewables to help control the tension and reactive current of the network still sleep “the dream of the righteous”, According to the former minister. On the other hand, the Spanish electrical system It has been designed To manage synchronous energies, such as gas or nuclear, which generate their own frequency reference. Renewables, on the other hand, depend on electronic systems that do not offer this reference naturally, which increases the complexity of integrating large volumes of solar or wind energy without compromising its stability. For that reason, UNEF has pointed out the implementation of the procedure Operation 7.4 would allow renewables to control the tension and reactive current of the network, contributing to mitigate future blackouts.

Forecasts. The April 28 blackout evidenced a problem in the management and storage capacity of the national electrical system. The micro -redes are presented as a solution thanks to their ability to operate independently and maintain the supply at critical moments.

Image | Pexels and Victor Romero v

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