4 HN users recommended this explainer5 months2024–2025score 5.5
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026
HN people link it as the go-to explainer for grid and inverter stability, especially in threads about blackouts and distributed solar.
Practical Engineering explains why connecting solar and other inverter-based generation to the grid is hard. It covers grid stability, load balancing and the behind-the-scenes engineering challenges of renewables.
“Just watch this Practical Engineering video [1], if you are not familiar with the topic.” (HN, 2025)
I haven't wrote that the government said that. But a lot of online commentators and even some news outlets immediately started to discuss "cyberattacks" (including the linked article) and asking "maybe it was the Russians?". Most people who are familiar with how electric grids operate are in agreement that high degree of renewable generation has likely made the situation worse not better. We know that right before the blackout the grid had a sudden dip in frequency, which is exactly the condition which leads to unstable work of inverters used by renewable plants. Just watch this Practical Engineering video [1], if you are not familiar with the topic. It discusses exactly the problems I wrote about. So renewables may have not been the direct reason for the blackout, but they are highly likely have helped to tip the gird behind the critical point. [1]: [this video]
After watching "Practical Engineering"'s video on solar power[1], I start to think solar power plant of this scale is a bad idea -- it hate AC and just does not play nice with the rest of the power grid. A software bug can bring down the whole grid. .. and TFA is taking about expanding the grid. [1] [this video]
Operating electrical power grids requires a very careful balance between production and consumption. Long term trends are regulated on the consumption side through pricing, short term jitter is regulated on the production side through switching power plants on and off. Traditionally, a power grid only had medium and large power plants, and they are not only connected to the power grid but also a control network. Adding many small power generators poses a problem in how you communicate and coordinate with them. "Connecting Solar to the Grid is Harder Than You Think" [this video]
Temporary negative prices have been caused by the renewable generation which exceeded the grid demand at the time, which then evolved into the nasty feedback loop caused by the reaction of renewable generation to those conditions. You simply do not get such situation with traditional generation, it's the direct consequence of the intermittent nature of renewables and its high ratio in the total generation. Also, have you read after the market part? Please watch this video [this video] if the last quote is gibberish to you. It discusses somewhat different issues, but the point still stands.
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