Clearly, photovoltaic solar energy was not the cause of the blackout,” stated a joint communiqué issued by various associations, including the Portuguese Renewable Energy Association (APREN), the Spanish Photovoltaic Union (UNEF), SolarPower Europe, the Global Solar Council, and the Global Renewables Alliance.
This statement followed the presentation of findings by the Spanish government regarding the investigation into the April 28 blackout that affected the entire Iberian Peninsula.
The Spanish government identified a “combination of factors” that led to a significant voltage overload on the Spanish electrical grid, which the system failed to manage or absorb despite adequate response infrastructure.
The government blamed inadequate planning by the grid operator, Red Eléctrica (REE), and failures by energy producers in Spain to adhere to protocols designed to handle voltage overload situations.
“The investigation confirms that managing an electrical system is a complex and multifaceted task,” and “the Iberian blackout should serve as a learning moment,” the renewable energy associations’ statement said. They emphasized that “photovoltaic solar energy already has the capacity to control voltage, but regulations did not allow for its application” in this instance.
The associations view the blackout and today’s report conclusions as “a call for accelerated investment in grid resilience and system flexibility,” especially in technologies like “grid-forming” and storage batteries.
“These technologies are already available and are crucial for maintaining stable voltage levels, managing variability, and ensuring energy security based on renewables,” they added in the statement.
The associations noted that “solar energy is the fastest-growing energy technology ever” and is “the cheapest energy source in most of the world,” offering “a lifeline to the European and global industry facing structurally high energy costs,” and providing “energy security” as it is not “a pipeline that can be shut off.”
The conclusions of the investigation into the April 28 blackout were presented today by Spain’s Minister for Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, at a press conference in Madrid.
