No, Renewables Didn’t Cause Spain Grid Blackout: David Fickling

Confronted by an unprecedented and alarming situation, it can be hard to resist simplistic explanations.

Blaming thunder and lightning on warring gods, as the ancients did, misses the real reason: that clouds can build up electrical voltages thousands of times higher than you’ll find in a power line.

It’s a similar situation with the problems that can occur in power lines themselves. When Spain’s grid suffered a massive blackout in April, the knee-jerk response — that the country’s rapid buildout of renewable energy was responsible — had the virtue of a clear narrative and a ready cast of stock characters.

The heroes were hard-headed realists at ...