March 5, 2015 | By Jaclyn Brandt

A March 20 solar eclipse is giving some insight into solar energy, and how a significant loss of renewable energy can affect the power grid. The solar eclipse will be seen across Europe and, according to a new study, "The reduction in solar radiation will directly affect the output of the photovoltaics (PV) and for the first time this is expected to have a relevant impact on the secure operation of the European power system."

The total impact of the solar eclipse on the continental European power system. Credit: ENTSO-E

The study, Solar Eclipse 2015 - Impact Analysis by European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E), explains how the solar eclipse will be an important first test of solar's impact on the grids in the European Union. Transmission system operators (TSO) in Europe have been preparing for the solar eclipse for months.

In continental Europe, installed PV capacity is expected to reach 90 GW in 2015, and the researchers found that more than 34 GW of that could be reduced during the eclipse -- assuming clear conditions.

"Although a solar eclipse is perfectly predictable, the transformation from solar radiation to electric power is associated with uncertainties, which call for a careful coordination throughout the entire interconnected power system of Continental Europe including adjacent power systems," the report explained.

ENTSO-E found that the most crucial part of the solar eclipse will be coordination among the European TSOs, which will include numerous control rooms across Europe before and during the eclipse. They will need to adjust for the loss of solar power, as well as adjusting for when the solar power returns. Each TSO will will need to coordinate their reserves so they don't overload the system.

According to ENTSO-E, many things can affect the results of the eclipse, including the different angle that each country sees the moon in front of the sun, and what they call the "human-demand effect" -- which includes things like a change in demand due to people watching the eclipse. Of the countries experiencing the eclipse, Germany will see more than 50 percent of the infeed reduction, and Italy will see 21 percent -- making them the areas that are at highest risk of line overload, and should be an area of focus.

But ENTSO-E found that European TSOs are prepared for the eclipse, explaining, "National Grid Transmission System coped well with the eclipse in 1999 as a result of careful planning. We are confident that the system will cope well with the 2015 eclipse."

The organization stressed that in the future, policy and regulatory changes will be the key to uninterrupted power during events as energy evolves in Europe.

For more:
- read the report

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http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/european-power-operators-prepare-effects-solar-eclipse/2015-03-05