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What happens to an electricity system when large, heavy power plants are replaced by wind and solar?
It’s a question that rarely features in the political debate. But according to nuclear physicist Jan Blomgren, it is crucial to understanding the energy systems of the future.
In the first episode of Blomgren Benchmark, Jan examines what is actually happening behind the power outlet. Why is it important for the grid to maintain exactly 50 cycles per second? What does it mean for a nuclear power plant to have more than a thousand tonnes of rotating mass directly connected to the grid? And what happens when that kind of stability is replaced by weather-dependent generation?
Blomgren also discusses the major blackout that hit Spain and Portugal in 2025, and explores how instability in an electricity system can develop into a chain reaction, with protective systems shutting down one after another.
At the same time, the question arises whether batteries can solve the problem. Can enormous battery farms store enough energy to power an entire country when the wind dies down and the sun isn’t shining?
Blomgren’s answer is clear: batteries can be extremely useful in the right context, but they cannot simply replace the stability and energy capacity required to support an entire electricity system.
An episode about the physics behind electricity – and what happens when ideological ambitions meet the technical limitations of reality.
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