renewable

The AI has folded the price of an ultrarrao metal. The problem is that we need it to store renewable energy

by

Two technological revolutions are redefining, at the same time, the entire energy sector: the transition to renewable sources and the unstoppable boom of artificial intelligence. The first needs cheap and efficient batteries. The second has an insatiable data appetite and needs hardware to store them. The problem is that both are colliding in the market of An ultrarrao metal: Ruthenium. And the AI is winning the battle. Ruthenium is in historical maximums. In the last year, this discreet silver gray mineral has become The unexpected star of raw material markets. Its price has doubled, reaching $ 25,720 per kilogram, according to data from the Johnson Matthey metal refining that Bloomberg collects. The figure not only eclipses gold or silver increases, but also touches its historical maximum of $ 27,970, reached 18 years ago. What has unleashed this fever. The answer is in data centers that feed artificial intelligence. Ruthenium, a Platinum Group metal, is exceptionally hard and versatile. One of its applications in electronics are high -capacity hard drives, which use a river layer of less than a thick nanometer to greatly increase data density. As the generative AI and the Cloud Computing They demand to store astronomical amounts of information, the demand is triggered. But the background problem is scarcity. Ruthenium is one of the most rare elements of the earth’s crust. It is obtained almost exclusively as a byproduct of platinum mining, and its annual supply is tiny: just 30 tons last year. Unless the investment in mining increases, analysts expect the market Enter in deficit next year. That is, the demand exceeds the supply. Not only does it need Ruthenio. In addition to hard drives, metal is a vital component in Several of the most promising chemists For massive energy storage batteries. Ruthenium oxide offers unique capacitance and loading and discharge speed, so It was intended to be used in Super Current before the AI duplicate its price. It is also a necessary metal In lithium-oxygen batteriesconsidered one of the next great revolutions in batteries for its very high energy density. But these cells depend on efficient catalysts. Ruthenium nanocatalysts achieve extraordinary capabilities and life cycles, but with the current price they are unfeasible. How it affects the energy sector. No sector is able to face investments as large as that of artificial intelligence. The AI is staying with the Ruthenium to save data while the entire planet faces another urgent challenge: store energy to abandon fossil fuels. Intermittent renewables, such as solar and wind, need large -scale batteries to keep the energy they generate when the sun shines or the wind blows, being able to use it later when night falls or the wind stops blowing. According to the International Energy Agencyin 2023 42 GW of capacity in batteries were installed, more than double than the previous year. It is an impressive, but insufficient figure to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement. The world needs to multiply that rhythm by six and reach about 1,500 GW of storage capacity from here to 2030 (of which 1,200 GW would be batteries). Is there any alternative to Ruthenium? There are other technologies that allow storing large amounts of data, but they are very expensive, so the industry continues to bet on ruthenium. In fact, a report by International Data Corp. provides that sales of hard drives with Ruthenium will increase 16% this year, dragging metal stocks. Researchers from all over the world have spent years developing new advanced batteries assuming a price for ruthenium that, although high, was manageable. Now, the explosion of the demand for AI has created a cost curve that no one anticipated, and that forces to start from scratch. Image | Metalle-W (CC by-SA 3.0) In Xataka | There are companies spending millions in storing hydrogen. Germany has just stored it in bicarbonate

The network did not collapse due to lack of energy, but for lack of control. Renewable continues to be connected as if they were passive

by

Almost two months after the blackout that disconnected Spain and Portugal, the government has made public a technical report that focuses on a very specific problem: the lack of tension control at critical moments, especially in renewable parks. Is it possible? As the engineer and energy expert Xavier Cugat has pointed out in networks, the debate on voltage control in renewable facilities is not only a technician: There are technologies that already allow it. One of them is SMA’s ‘Q at Night’ system, which allows solar plants to provide reactive energy even during the night. The idea is clear: if a solar plant can continue to support the network even without sun, part of the stability problem can be mitigated. This does not directly solve the lack of inertia, but complements the voltage support and improves the resilience of the system. Reactive energy The principle is simple but effective. SMA photovoltaic investors, equipped with the Q at night function, They remain connected to the network even when they are not generating active energy (that is, when there is no sun). This allows them to inject or absorb reactive energy as needed, contributing to maintain tension within acceptable margins. In case of high penetration. This type of energy is key to avoiding tension instabilities. In this particular case, it is for a network with low presence of conventional plants. Although it does not contribute inertia, it allows plants to support tension balance and remain connected to critical events instead of disconnecting preventively. So the issue of inertia? This is where it is necessary to clarify. The Government report has made it clear that collapse was not a consequence of a frequency fall, but of a cascado of over -overdations. Even in a scenario of greater inertia, over -overdrafts would have also produced, according to the report. Therefore, the lack of inertia was not the direct cause of collapse; The collapse was the one that caused the fall in frequency. During the blackout, different plants were disconnected preventively when detecting overtheions. The problem is that, according to the report, several of these disconnections occurred before even the maximum limits allowed by the regulations were reached. In other words: they did not respond properly to the network conditions. A system not adapted to its own transition The problem seems structural: the electricity grid has not evolved at the same rate as the massive renewable deployment. With 82% clean generation and the least amount of operational synchronous plants throughout the year, the system faced an explosive cocktail: a lot of distributed generation, little centralized control and little response capacity against critical events. In just 12 seconds, the entire Iberian system of the rest of Europe was disconnected. A transition without security network. The blackout was a symptom, not an anomaly. Spain leads the renewable transition, but without a prepared network, each advance becomes vulnerability. The voltage control, the response to incidents and the ability to maintain stability without large machines spinning are the great challenge of the new energy paradigm. Image | Pexels Xataka | 49 days after the blackout, the government has published the official report. Against all prognosis, he points to a culprit

22% of renewable plants did not meet the basic tension control criteria during the blackout. And the regulations already demanded it

by

Almost two months after the blackout that disconnected Spain and Portugal, the government has released the technical report That analyzes what happened. The document, prepared after checking hundreds of data gigabytes, discards any external attack and points to a chain of technical errors. The decisive factor, according to the document: A network without sufficient capacity To control tension at critical moments, especially in renewable parks. A critical fact. During the blackout, different plants were disconnected preventively when detecting overtheions. The problem is that, According to the reportseveral of these disconnections occurred before even the maximum voltage thresholds allowed by the regulations will be reached. In other words, they did not respond properly to the network conditions. As has pointed out The energy expert, Javier Blas, 22% of the renewable plants did not comply with the criteria required by current regulations. I already demanded it. This is not a case of legal lagoon or regulatory vacuum. The report itself He has made clear that the technical demands for response to surge were already in force. European regulations –Regulation (EU) 2016/631also known as “requirements for generators” (RFG) – establishes behavior requirements for generating plants connected to the network. By the Electric Red Operation Proceduresespecially PO 12.3 (on technical requirements of generation facilities) and PO 9 (on supply quality and safety), already included the obligation to maintain the connection against voltage variations within defined margins. Not adapted to your own transition. The report too He has pointed out to a structural problem: the electricity grid has not evolved at the same pace than the massive renewable deployment. At the time of the blackout, 82% of the generation in operation was renewable. However, the number of synchronous centrals – fundamental to stabilize the network – was the lowest of the year. In this way, the network faced an explosive cocktail: a lot of distributed generation, little centralized control and little response capacity against critical events. A domino effect that, in just 12 seconds, led to the total disconnection of the Iberian system of the rest of Europe. The solutions on the table. The document proposes a package of ambitious measures. Among which we find to strengthen supervision to ensure normative compliance, immediately implement a specific technical service so that renewables actively participate in the voltage control and Increase electrical interconnection with France. Purifying responsibilities. The Government has pointed out both Electric and Electric Companies and possible responsible. From RedeiaBeatriz Corredor has responded ensures that they have not provided all the necessary information, and that the received did not have the desirable quality to clarify what happened. In addition, Corridor recalled that Red Electrica does not manage private networks or distributed control centers, and that its role is limited to guaranteeing the physical compatibility of the system with the programs that result from the electricity market. Image | Pexels Xataka | 49 days after the blackout, the government has published the official report. Against all prognosis, he points to a culprit

The more you know about the blackout in Spain, the less guilty the lack of inertia seems to be renewable

by

The historic blackout that paralyzed the Iberian Peninsula on April 28 It continues to generate questions waiting for an official report. The narrative that pointed at a low inertia of the system due to the high penetration of renewable energies as guilty of collapse has begun to make waters. The data suggest a concatenation of more complex failures, where inertia, although it played a significant role in its final phase, does not seem to be the trigger for the energy zero. Context. Until now, experts They placed in the center of the debate The inertia of the electrical system, the capacity of the large rotary machines of the traditional plants to resist sudden frequency changes. The inertia in the European interconnected system is provided by large turbines and synchronous generators that rotate at a speed of 50 cycles per second to maintain the frequency of 50 Hz. High penetration of renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic or wind solar, which are coupled to the network by power electronicsthey do not contribute this inertia inherently, which from the beginning was indicated as the root of the problem. Inertia was correct. However, Vice President Third Sara Aagesen said in the Senate that, in the moments before the blackout, the peninsular electrical system had a level of inertia “according to the recommendations”, according to the data that Red Electrico shared with the government. In statements collected by Europa PressAagesen specified that this level was 2.3 seconds, exceeding the target of two seconds established by the Entso-E European Operators network. Joan Groizard, Secretary of State for Energy, reinforced this idea pointing out that “many European systems frequently operate with inertia lower than those that had the peninsular electrical system in the moments prior to zero of 28th.” These official statements deflate, in part, the theory that a critical lack of inertia was the root cause of the incident. A sequence of anomalous events. The investigations point to a series of disturbances that preceded the blackout. Both Aagesen and Groizard talk about the detection of oscillations in the European electrical system hours before the failure. A first “anomalous” oscillation of 0.6 Hz was recorded at 12:03, whose origin, detected in Spain, France and even Germany“It is still known,” according to the minister. A second “usual” oscillation of 0.2 Hz was perceived at 12:19, even in areas as far as Latvia, Groizard said. Next, the three generation loss events occurred: in just over twenty seconds 2.2 gigawatts were disconnected in the provinces of Granada, Badajoz and Sevilla, between 12:32:57 and 12:33:17. These events coincided with a “situation of overwhelming in the peninsular electrical system, whose cause and consequence are still to be specified.” A problem of surge. Groizard speaks of voltage peaks as the root of the blackout, clarifying that “the main shooting factor is associated with over -overdraft.” But the government has not been the first to divert the focus of inertia. Luis Badesa, professor at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, pointed in a previous analysis That “two failures are almost very unlikely and point to a common event”, raising as suspicious the “surge in 400 kV lines of the southwest, perhaps linked to the previous oscillations.” The non -return point came, according to Badesa, at 12:33:20, when “Iberia loses connection with France and becomes an electric island; immediately, the centrals are massively disconnected.” Then, with the electrically isolated Iberian Peninsula, it is when synchronism is lost with the European continent. At that moment, with 59% of electricity from solar and 11% wind, inertia is insufficient. Then, the lack of inertia did not help. It is at this time, with the disconnected peninsula, when the inertia of the system becomes crucial. According to Badesa: “With little inertia, the frequency began to go down and to change very quickly.” This rapid frequency variation would have caused the shot of the protection relays of numerous centrals, “finishing off the blackout.” The lack of inertia “aggravated the final problem because he made the Rocof jump, but the origin was in several almost simultaneous generation cuts” previously, Badesa explained, stressing that “no operator designs his network to support three groups out of the service when he is isolated.” In other words, “the low renewable inertia did not cause the initial ruling, but it yesterday accelerated the collapse once Iberia remained alone.” Waiting for the official report. The available information suggests that the April 28 blackout was not a direct consequence of the low inertia due to renewable penetration, but the result of a complex chain of anomalous oscillations in the European network, followed by multiple almost simultaneous generation losses, possibly linked to overcoming. The preliminary conclusion is that the stability of a network with increasing weight of renewables does not depend only on inertia, but on the general robustness of the system in the face of multiple contingencies, such as interarene oscillations. For the definitive conclusions, we will have to wait for the official report, the Government hopes to have “in less than three months.” Image | Diego Delso (CC By-sa 4.0) In Xataka | After the blackout, the government defended the nuclear closure because “in Spain there is no uranium.” Reality is more complicated

Germany is installing giant concrete spheres under the sea. You have a good reason: store renewable energy

by

While France and Germany reinforce their energy alliances with a renewed bet For nuclear energy, within the German country they are developing a completely different system. The focus is on marine depths, with the aim of redefining the way in which renewable energy is stored. Under the sea. A group of researchers the Fraunhofer Institute of Germany They have created the Stensea project (Stored Energy AT Sea acronym). Since 2011, the equipment has worked in a solution to reduce land use, reaching the conclusion of sinking huge concrete spheres into the seabed to store energy. The operation. These spheres sink at 600 and 800 meters deep, where water pressure is so high that it can rotate turbines with great efficiency. Each one measures about 9 meters in diameter and weighs about 400 tons. The idea is that they work as giant batteries: by letting the sea water in, it moves a turbine connected to a generator. To recharge it, water pumps out, using network energy to overcome environmental pressure. A design of what a Stesea plant would be A real test. The system has already been successful at Lake Constanza, and now the next step is marked in the calendar by 2026. It is expected to install a prototype real and 3D printed on the coast of Long Beach, in California. This model can generate about 0.5 megawatts and store up to 0.4 megawatts-Hora, which would be enough to cover the consumption of a middle home in the United States for about two weeks. The future idea is ambitious: building much larger spheres, up to 30 meters in diameter, capable of storing much larger amounts of energy. The objective is to climb the system with spheres up to 30 meters in diameter, which would allow a much larger storage capacity. According to They have detailed Newatlas researchers, the estimated storage cost around the 5 cents per kilowatt-hora, a very competitive figure compared to other current solutions. Renewables in Germany. Although it seems contradictory for its climate, the country has been strongly betting on solar energy, especially In self -consumption facilities. However, it faces an important challenge: intermittent production, or Dunkelflaute. For this reason, projects such as Stesea can act as a shock absorber of the electrical system, because it stores excess renewable energy and releases it when it is most needed. So hydroelectric plants? Unlike traditional pumping storage –which requires mountains and large fresh water reserves-, this system does not need limited elevations or water resources. Its modular design allows it to install it on coasts around the world. In addition, this system has raised An economic advantage since it allows energy arbitration, buying electricity when it is cheap and selling it in moments of high demand. Forecasts The researchers They believe that this technology He has barely shown the tip of the iceberg. They estimate that, if it was deployed on a large scale, it could reach a global storage capacity of about 817,000 gigawatts-Hora. Translated to something more tangible, it would be enough to supply about 75 million homes in Europe for a whole year. However, although the project is presented as a solution to avoid intensive soil use, it does not stop moving that occupation to the seabed. Until now, the approach has been mainly technical, but it would be expected that in future phases rigorous environmental evaluations will be included that analyze its impact on oceanic ecosystems. Image | Stesea Xataka | Europe’s turn to nuclear: Germany and France have signed a pact to reconfigure the continent

of nuclear veto to small renewable support reactors

by

The blackout that affected Spain and Portugal on April 28 He has revived the debate of renewables and nuclear. An discussion that has overreach the borders of the Iberian Peninsula and the country’s reference country is discussing it: Denmark. Short. Lars Aagaard, Minister of Climate, Energy and Public Services of Denmark, has confirmed in the Politiken environment that the government is evaluating the possibility of raising the veto to nuclear energy. In addition, he has indicated that the evaluation process will take a year and focus on the pros and cons of reviving nuclear energy. The nuclear past. Denmark made the decision to close the door to the nuclear in 1985. That period was marked by the accidents of Three Mile Island and, a few years later, Chernobil, so he ended up sealing the Danish rejection of a technology seen as dangerous and unpredictable. And what do you want? The Danish minister has mentioned that the analysis will focus on small modular reactors (SMR), a technology that promises shorter construction times and lower financial risks than large traditional plants. However, many SMR are still in the design phase or waiting for regulatory approval, What a question raises about its short -term availability. A little note. SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors with a power capacity of up to 300 electric megawatts per unit, which represents about a third of the generation capacity of conventional nuclear reactors. These reactors can be assembled at the factory and transported to the installation site, which facilitates its deployment in areas with limited infrastructure or in combination with renewable sources to provide a generation of flexible electricity and low carbon emissions. The Danish energy matrix. More than 80% of electricity From the country comes from its wind farms on the high seas, consolidating as a totally renewable country. In addition, it is interconnected with its neighbors, Sweden and Norway, which supply hydroelectric and nuclear energy almost immediately. Voices found. The debate on nuclear energy has polarized the Danish Parliament. As has detailed The Financial Times, four right -wing games have requested to meet with the minister to support nuclear as reinforcement of the electrical system. While the most environmentalist sectors have warned about the risks inherent to nuclear energy and the possibility of diverting funds and care of renewable energy investments. On the border. Neighboring countries the discussion is lived differently. On the one hand, Sweden has Three reactors in operationbut the current government He is trying to reopen More nuclear plants. On the other hand, Finland Inaugurated a central which has evidenced budgetary problems around nuclear projects. For its part, Norway, although a little further from Denmark, has chosen to focus on hydroelectric energy, staying outside the nuclear debate. Forecasts Denmark is at an energy crossroads. With a matrix based on renewable energy, the country must decide whether to continue betting solely on them or consider nuclear energy as a strategic complement. The experience of its neighbors, advances in SMR technology and the global context of energy crisis will be determining factors in a debate that promises to be long and controversial. Image | Andy Dingley Xataka | China’s energy paradox: an ‘electrostate’ that continues to feed on coal

Spain has not yet enough batteries for its renewable boom

by

The last blackout Monday, April 28 He has evidenced one of the vulnerabilities of the Spanish electrical system: weigh to advance in renewable generationthere is still the same challenge: energy storage. Insufficient growth. Spain has had A renewable boomS, but storage growth has not been able to keep up. Unlike countries like Germany, where Both sectors have evolved In parallel, in Spain it has been left behind. According to the data set out by Spanish Electricity, at the end of 2024 the installed storage capacity It was 3,356mwa very distant figure of the 22 GW target established by the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) by 2030. There is still a lot of work. The storage problem in Spain is not only a technical issue, but also regulatory and economic. Both Franc Comino, general director of Sonnen Spainand Manel Pujol, co -founder of Samara Energyhave stated for this medium that the main barrier is the absence of a regulatory framework that offers clear price signals to facilitate the integration of batteries. Specifically, Manel Pujol stressed that The current regulatory framework It excludes the participation of batteries not linked to self -consumption in balance markets, which slows its profitability and hinders its mass implementation. And not only batteries. The Spanish PHOTOVOLTAIC UNION (UNEF) has requested the European Commission to expedite the procedures to implement Grid forming. As has detailed For 20 minutes José Donoso, general director of the UNEF: “To have a more robust system we have to accelerate storage and use power electronics (Grid forming), that it is not yet being used because the European Commission is missing to approve the technical requirements. ” Systems that stabilize the network? Not only exists Grid forming but also the micro -redes. But deepen a little more in the Grid formingor network formation, refers to the capacity of certain storage investors to emulate the characteristics of traditional generators, maintaining the frequency and tension of the system autonomously, According to the economist. This technology allows renewable and storage facilities to function as a virtual “source of inertia”, providing stability in critical moments. It is not the only one. Also, there are the microredes that They represent a distributed model of energy management that combines renewable generation, storage and intelligent control systems. During the blackout, the micro -redes that could operate in “Isla mode” demonstrated their ability to maintain the electricity supply locally, disconnecting from the main system and avoiding collapse, has detailed Franc comino. In this context, Manel Pujol has stressed that the integration of residential batteries is already gaining ground, especially in solar projects, where more than half of the facilities they manage include storage, thus reflecting a positive trend towards the adoption of the distributed model. Financing. The price of batteries It has descended and it is expected that in 2026 the barrier of 100 dollars/kWh will be broken. However, the cost remains a barrier to small consumers, which slows their mass adoption. In addition, less than two months ago, the European Commission approved A aid scheme of 700 million euros to reinforce energy storage in Spain within FEDER funds. A possible solution. Franc Comino has indicated that to accelerate the penetration of storage, tax incentives must be applied: in the residential field through IPR and the industrialist through the Corporation Tax. Thanks to this measures, the initial cost of the batteries could be reduced and thus facilitate its large -scale implementation. For its part, Manel Pujol has stressed that access to public aid and the implementation of tax incentives should go hand in hand to prevent the cost of storage from becoming an insurmountable barrier for small consumers, especially in the residential field. Forecasts The future of the Spanish electrical system will depend on its ability to efficiently integrate energy storage and adopt advanced technologies such as gridforming and micrordes. In addition, Franc Comino has declared that the approved aids will not be enough if it is not accompanied by an extent in administrative processing and a regulatory framework that allows these technologies to be deployed quickly. For its part, Pujol emphasizes that the real challenge is not only in the infrastructure, but in changing public perception about storage and in developing a viable economic model so that the transition is accessible to all consumers. Spain has the opportunity to lead a new energy stage. The question is whether you will know how to move quickly. Image | Unspash and Kecko Xataka | Spain has opted for the plot, but has left the network thrown: how micro -redes fit the energy puzzle

We have just lived the first great blackout of the renewable era. The debate is now how to get the last one

by

The debate in public opinion is served for the coming weeks, at least Until the conclave arrivesat which time it will be limited to the specialized circles of the energy sector. Bloomberg analyst Javier Blas, He has baptized What happened in Spain and Portugal as “the great green blackout of the era of renewable energy.” Although the authorities have not yet offered a definitive version, the debate has intensified. Until now. The official version is still preliminary, but Red Eléctrica de España has offered a technical reconstruction of what happened. According to the latest information, the fall was not the product of a cyber attack or sabotage, but of the failure chain of several systems in a context of high renewable penetration. In a matter of seconds, about 15 gigawatts were disconnected, approximately 60% of the consumption of electric demand, due to a sharp drop in voltage, known as “voltage hole.” This type of active fall automatic protection systems that disconnect power plants and substations to avoid greater damage. According to Financial Timesthe lack of inertia – the capacity of certain infrastructure such as turbines to stabilize the network— He worsened the problem. And since Portugal partially depends on the Spanish supply, the blackout immediately extended to the entire neighboring country. Despite this, Beatriz Corredor, president of Red Electrica, He has warned that “it is not correct to relate the incident to the penetration of renewables”, defending that these technologies work stable and that the Spanish electrical system is resilient. He also pointed out that millions of data are being analyzed to clarify the exact causes of the blackout and reinforce the response protocols. Debate is reopened. A few weeks ago, the discussion in the energy sector revolved around Scheduled closure of the nuclear centrals planned for two years. However, the blackout has catalyzed a more visible ideological shock: renewable vs. nuclear. Such as has detailed eldiario.es, what happened has fed tensions among those who defend the energy transition against those who want to keep nuclear as stable support. In that same article, Jorge Sanz, the former president of the Commission for Energy Transition, has declared that one of the factors was the massive disconnection of renewables before a voltage hole. However, like has pointed out Renewable expert Xavier Cugat in his networks, Sanz has omitted a relevant fact: The existence of the Srap (Automatic protection response system), already operational and with several real and solar wind capacity gigawatts. A crucial tool that, although it did not avoid the blackout, is part of the effort to improve the technical response of renewables in these situations. But there is an unstoppable reality. According to Irenain 2024 92.5% of the new electrical power installed worldwide was renewable. That is, twelve times more renewable than nuclear, gas and coal together were installed. Clean energies are already the norm: they are cheaper, safe and in many countries, almost the only option that is being expanded. There are already concrete examples: countries like Paraguay, Iceland or Norway They work with 100% of renewable generation. The address is clear; What is at stake is how to manage this transformation without compromising system stability. What is the way? As has explained for RNE The head of the Rey Juan Carlos University, Eloy Sanz, which the Iberian Peninsula is an “energy island” with Very little international connection. Spain and Portugal need an integration much stronger With the rest of Europe to share surpluses, balance demand and strengthen system safety. To this is added the need to continue investing in storage, such as batteries, Reversible pumping plants either Green hydrogen. Finally, the development of technologies such as Synthetic inertiaalready deployed in countries such as Denmark, which simulate the stabilizing effect of old thermal plants or other strategy such as Synchronous Power Controlwhich allow renewables to also contribute to the stability of the network without the need for batteries or physical inertia flyers. Ignoring this has a price. As He has summarized Javier Blas in his column with crudeness: “The design of the network, the policies and risk analysis are not yet up to the management of an excess of renewables.” It is not an attack on clean energy, but a call of attention. The error would be to abandon renewables by a blackout, nor were fossil fuels left after Blackout New York in 1977. But we must learn. The future of energy will be renewable, but it cannot be naive or ideological. Image | Unspash Xataka | The problem is not that Spain depends much on renewable energies: it is not interconnected with Europe

France is installing turbines under the sea to exploit the renewable energy source that never ceases: the tides

by

In the heart of the sea, where the powerful tidal currents move to the rhythm of lunar gravity, an energy revolution is being created that promises to transform the future of Europe. France has a continuous energy with a large -scale installation. The project. French company Normandie Hydroliennes has created The NH1 initiative to generate energy from sea currents. The installation will consist of four seniomotor submarine wind turbines that will be located in the Raz Blanchard, a sea step known for its currents. The great support. EU 2023 Innovation Fund He has subsidized to the project with 31.3 million euros. In this way, Europe expects to integrate tidal energy into the energy mix in France and Europe, adding a constant and predictable source to avoid Intermittent energy problems. The largest in Europe. Thus it will be thanks to the AR3000 turbines, which are considered The most powerful in the world in the mareomotor energy sector. Each turbine will have a 3MW power and a 24 -meter rotor diameter and, its advanced control system will constantly adjust the speed and angle of the blades to optimize the production of electricity. It should be added that the marine structure of these turbines allows them to be installed in just 20 minutes. Stable energy. An interesting small fact is that this type of renewable energy offers a stable and continuous supply, thanks to Natural forces as the lunar gravity that generates the tides and moves the oceans continuously. Energy sending. The energy generated by the turbines will be transported to the ground through a single export cable, which facilitates the connection of multiple turbines to transmit the electricity generated efficiently. This type of very demanded cables in Europe It has made effective The network connection between England and Denmark, among other projects. However, too It has been target of objectives In geopolitical conflicts. The occasional setback. Like any type of large -scale system, problems may appear. The company has indicated that the design of the project minimizes the environmental impact and reduces costs, but problems may arise due to the extreme marine conditions of the sea pass. As for the marine impact, problems may arise of local fauna and flora. Forecasts. From the French company have indicated which will provide 34 GWh per year to the France electricity network from 2028. In addition, they have estimated that this energy source has a potential of up to 100GW by 2050, supplying the electrical needs of 94 million homes throughout the continent. Image | Wiseed Xataka | Oceanic energy is the new promise of renewables. And Japan is already testing a gigantic turbine

In Jaén the neighbors are also protesting against renewable projects

by

The latest forecasts on renewable energy production They have placed To Spain as a great power in Europe. However, the growth of clean sources is not distributed uniformly, letting a large part of the projects concentrate in rural areas. Now, the voices of the protest do not stop growing. The claim. The massive installation of solar plants in Jaén has reached courts to stop the projects in Lopera, Arjona and Marmolejo. The neighbors and farmers, united on the “Campiña Norte platform against the solar megaplants”, They have denounced The environmental and economic impact of the solar installation. In addition, they have warned that they will cause the felling of more than 100,000 olive trees. A problem for the entire community. The growth of renewables in Andalusia It is drivenamong other factors, due to its weather conditions, making it suitable for The installation of solar panels. It also has various points for Green hydrogen extractionbecoming a favorable place to renewables. Also, the Junta de Andalucía has declared public utility Multiple renewable generation projects, dismissing allegations of those affected and advancing with forced expropriations to facilitate the installation of these infrastructure. Symptom of something greater. This phenomenon is not exclusive to Andalusia, since it is a trend that has traveled the entire peninsula. Starting with the teacher, where various communities They have shown His rejection of the proliferation of wind farms, passing through Galicia, where the Superior Court of Xustiza has intervened on multiple occasions in conflicts related to the installation of wind turbines. In fact, the motto “Renewable yes, but not” It has become the cry of a growing movement in rural areas (groups with more than 152 organizations), which, although it does not oppose the energy transition, does require a balanced and respectful development of the territory. Some produce, others consume. The conflict too shows the gap between the energy producing areas and the large urban nuclei that consume it. On the one hand, the autonomous communities such as Aragon, Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha or Castilla y León that They are supporting Most of the renewable electricity generation in Spain. On the other hand, the big cities like Madrid that They consume large quantities of energy and almost do not contribute to the electrical system. This asymmetry reinforces the perception in the rural world that renewable development does not translate into direct progress for its communities, but in a negative externalality imposed by the energy needs of the cities. But and any solution for the field? The big question is whether there are alternatives to advance the energy transition without sacrificing agricultural or protected land. The answer is that yes and it is with the combination of both: The agrovoltaic. In the specific case of Jaén a study has found a solution To distribute the olive grove between panels solar panels, minimizing the impact of photovoltaic shadow on the growth of olive trees. In fact, there are many studies that have shed light on the installation of solar energy in crop fields, and have demonstrated how the shadow can be beneficial for the vegetation, A honey farm, Tomato cultivation And even to wool quality. Image | E. Crespo and Pexels Xataka | Forget the industrial revolution: the fastest energy change in human history is happening now

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.