Forty-eight hours after the widespread April blackout, the event has once again placed the spotlight on the electricity sector and all the agents that form part of it. While the investigation into the initial fault and voltage collapse continues, there are already valuable lessons to be learned to further reinforce the resilience of our electricity system.
Spain’s electricity system is no longer what it once was, nor will it ever return to the past.
Renewable generation is here to stay, and it now dominates our energy mix. This is not a problem—rather, it represents a profound evolution that requires markets, grids, power plants and consumers to continue adapting.
Achieving our sustainability objectives must never come at the cost of supply security. For that reason, the operation and coordination of all actors across the system must evolve at the same pace as the transformation of our generation mix.
The blackout has highlighted that investments in interconnections, grid intelligence, observability and resilience are not optional. These priorities must be clearly reflected in remuneration schemes and operational mechanisms.
At the same time, the management of distributed energy resources—both demand and generation—represents a significant opportunity to enhance system stability and boost industrial competitiveness. Leveraging flexible loads, storage assets and distributed photovoltaics can help support the grid when it needs it most.
At Bamboo Energy, we firmly believe that:
Demand must be included as an active resource contributing to system resilience.
Digitalisation and intelligent management are essential for enabling flexible, responsive behaviour across the grid.
Collaboration among system operators, regulators and industry stakeholders is crucial to accelerate the next steps of this transformation.
We will continue supporting this evolution and contributing to a safer, more efficient and more sustainable energy system.
We also want to express our appreciation for the work of Red Eléctrica and the teams across distribution companies, who faced an extraordinarily challenging day. As members of the energy sector, it is our responsibility to provide clarity, calm and support during events like this.
As an anecdote that illustrates the power of data:
while our office lost power during the blackout, our cloud platform immediately notified us that several of our assets in southern France and Portugal had also gone offline — long before any external communication reached us. A clear reminder of how digitalisation enhances visibility across borders and systems.
Throughout the following day, Bamboo Energy participated in several forums to explain what had happened using real data and system insights. We invite everyone to share their views and continue the discussion.
📺 More information:
El col·lapse del sistema elèctric i el paper de les renovables: què hi diuen els experts (3Cat)
https://lnkd.in/dEvmpvCg
