The Blackout That Shook Spain: Exploring the Fragility of Modern Electric Grids
The Great Simplification #176 with Pedro Prieto
Last week, Europe experienced its worst blackout in living memory, which plunged tens of millions of people across Spain and Portugal into darkness for up to 18 hours. Life screeched to a halt, with trains, traffic lights, ATMs, phone connections, and internet access failing. In the aftermath, many important questions have arisen, including: what caused such a widespread grid failure, and how can Europe and other nations prepare for the next time an event like this happens?
In today’s episode, I’m joined by Pedro Prieto to discuss the recent blackout in the Iberian Peninsula, exploring its causes, impacts, and the role of renewable energy in the stability of the electric grid. Prieto highlights the societal and infrastructural challenges that his home country faced, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach to energy management, as well as the interconnectedness of energy systems and societal resilience. The discussion delves into the complexities of energy demand and supply, the importance of backup systems, and the future of renewable energy in Spain.
Are developed countries more vulnerable to blackouts than those that are still developing? How does renewable energy act as a double-edged sword, adding stability or fragility to energy infrastructure, depending on how it's used? How might developed countries learn lessons from this widespread blackout, including policy changes or reducing energy dependence in the face of future energy challenges?
In case you missed it…
In last week’s Frankly, I reflected on the increasingly wide variability in people’s ability to consume and metabolize information on the converging crises actively playing out in our world. I reflected on my own ways of making sense of it all, and what that means for the kind of educational work still needed to address our shared Human Predicament.
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Hey Nate and crew, just letting you know I do not suffer from information burnout from your Franklys.
I find your take on current events, very informative, and I am heartened that others see collapse coming and are advocating for an easy bend and not a horrific break.
On another note, I have burn out from American politics! The crazy makers, the pomp, the lies, and the theatrics are too much to stay on top of every day. Once a week, a slight dip into that water is more than enough to try and keep a handle on what’s really happening.
Lost power, no traffic lights, no internet? Wow must have been really hard. This sounds like a typical week here in the Philippines.