Historic Blackout In Europe May Have Been Caused By Renewable Overload

Written by Romário Pereira de Carvalho

Published on 29/04/2025 at 06:37

Créditos: Unsplash

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Series Of Blackouts Leaves Millions Without Power In Europe And Exposes Vulnerabilities Of The Power Grid Amid The Rapid Advancement Of Renewable Energies

A major blackout struck Portugal, Spain, France, and Belgium on Monday (28), leaving millions of people without power and causing disruption to essential services. The cause of the collapse is still under investigation, but authorities are already pointing to a potential overload in the energy system due to the rapid growth of renewable sources, especially in Spain.

Advancement Of Renewables: Overloaded Systems

Spain, the country most affected by the blackout, was one of the nations that expanded the use of wind and solar energy in its energy matrix the most in the past year.

According to experts consulted by Poder360, the excess energy generated may have caused an overload in the transmission system.

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Parallels With Brazil

In August 2023, Brazil faced a national blackout caused by failures in tension control equipment at wind and solar plants.

The conclusion was confirmed by the National System Operator (ONS), responsible for monitoring the Brazilian power grid. The agency also issued a warning in December 2024, indicating a risk of overload from renewable sources in 11 Brazilian states.

The Brazilian experience is seen as a warning. The country has been investing in reinforcements to the power grid. In 2023, the government held an auction for the concession of 4,471 km of transmission lines.

Of this total, 3,007 km are new sections aimed at increasing the capacity to carry generated energy, especially from the Northeast to the consumer centers in the Southeast.

The total investment was R$ 21.7 billion and was ratified by Aneel (National Electric Energy Agency) in 2024. The expectation is to increase conversion capacity in substations by up to 9,840 MW.

Extreme Test In Spain

Spain had been conducting tests to operate its electrical system solely with renewable sources. On April 16, 2025, it managed to supply the entire country with 100% clean energy for a business day for the first time.

Despite the milestone, the blackout incident raises questions about the system’s ability to withstand production peaks without compromising stability.

Immediate Impacts

The blackout had a direct impact on people’s lives. In Madrid and Lisbon, subway services were interrupted. The mobile network was also affected, limiting communication to messaging apps.

The mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, urged residents to avoid going out and keep the streets clear for emergency services.

“I ask all residents of Madrid to keep their movements to an absolute minimum and, if possible, stay where they are. We want to keep all roads clear,” the mayor stated in a video posted on social media.

He noted that, in addition to traffic lights being turned off, highway tunnels had to be closed. To deal with the crisis, the city activated the “status 2” of the Territorial Emergency Plan. This measure represents a high level of alert, with coordinated actions to restore services and ensure safety.

Three Regions In A State Of Emergency

So far, three of the 17 autonomous regions of Spain – Andalusia, Extremadura, and Madrid – have declared a national state of emergency.

Electricity companies like the Portuguese REN and the Spanish Red Eléctrica confirmed the collapse and initiated an emergency recovery plan. According to the companies, full restoration of power may take between six to ten hours.

The situation in Europe reinforces the need to review safety protocols for the large-scale integration of renewable sources. The balance between sustainability and system stability remains, once again, an urgent challenge.

With information from Terra.

Historic Blackout In Europe May Have Been Caused By Renewable Overload

Series Of Blackouts Leaves Millions Without Power In Europe And Exposes Vulnerabilities Of The Power Grid Amid The Rapid Advancement Of Renewable Energies

Advancement Of Renewables: Overloaded Systems

Parallels With Brazil

Extreme Test In Spain

Immediate Impacts

Three Regions In A State Of Emergency

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Historic Blackout In Europe May Have Been Caused By Renewable Overload

Series Of Blackouts Leaves Millions Without Power In Europe And Exposes Vulnerabilities Of The Power Grid Amid The Rapid Advancement Of Renewable Energies

Advancement Of Renewables: Overloaded Systems

Parallels With Brazil

Extreme Test In Spain

Immediate Impacts

Three Regions In A State Of Emergency

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After 16 years and almost 600 prototypes, a Chinese inventor unveils the world’s smallest and cheapest manned jet, at just 3.80 meters long and costing US$7.2 thousand in materials.

Belgium will sink 23 giant concrete caissons, each weighing 22,000 tons, in the North Sea to build the world’s first artificial energy island 45 km off the coast, forming offshore electrical walls.

With a wingspan of 152 meters, 76 tires, and a capacity to carry 1,270 tons, the Boeing Pelican was the giant “flying ship” that promised to cross oceans close to the water on an invisible air cushion beneath its wings.

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