Ah, the irony. It’s rich. You could bottle it, slap a label on it — Sustainabili-tea? — and sell it at a Berlin co-op for €12 a bottle.
Let’s walk through this delightful double-feature from the Iberian Peninsula, shall we?
Act I: Green Glory.
Spain, that sun-drenched poster child for renewable dreams, had a moment. On April 16, for the first time ever, Spain’s electricity grid ran entirely on renewable energy for a full weekday. Wind, solar, and hydro — all basking in the glow of climate virtue. Five days later, solar alone generated more than 20,000 megawatts of power, covering nearly 79% of demand. Throw in wind’s robust contribution and you’d be forgiven for imagining a carbon-free utopia had finally arrived.
Cue the fanfare. Break out the cava. Light the — oh, wait, maybe not light anything, because…
Act II: Iberian Blackout Bingo.
Less than a week later, an entire region — Spain and Portugal — plunged into a good old-fashioned blackout. You know, the kind where trains stop, flights are grounded, and people in elevators wonder whether they should have taken the stairs. Tens of millions affected. Businesses shuttered. Infrastructure paralyzed. Was it cyberterrorism? Aliens? The wrath of Thor?
Nope. The cause is “unclear.” Possibly a disruption in the broader European grid. Possibly an “atmospheric phenomenon,” whatever the hell that means. Possibly — and this is the part climate crusaders would prefer you skip over entirely — a reminder that basing your energy system on inherently fickle natural elements can be, how shall we say, a bit dicey.
But don’t worry, authorities were quick to reassure us: “There’s no evidence of foul play.” Which is comforting in the way it’s comforting to be told your house didn’t burn down on purpose.
Now let’s be clear: Coincidence is not causation. Maybe this blackout had nothing to do with Spain’s grid-dominating renewables. But — and it’s a big but — optics matter, and so does infrastructure reality. When you’re trying to sell the world on electrifying everything (your cars, your stoves, your heating, your soul), it’s not ideal when, in the same week you trumpet your green triumph, half your country can’t boil water or send an email.
That’s not a good look. That’s a punchline.
The Intermittency Problem: Nature Is a Diva
Let’s revisit a truth so basic it would make a caveman nod sagely: the sun does not always shine, and the wind does not always blow.
Intermittency is not a bug; it’s a feature of renewable energy. The challenge isn’t new, but it’s one that many green evangelists have treated with all the seriousness of a teenager ignoring their check engine light.
The International Energy Agency (IEA), which long ago swapped its clipboard for pom-poms in the climate cheerleading squad, is now sheepishly admitting that “systemic challenges” may arise when renewables dominate the grid and weather stops cooperating. No kidding. Apparently, when solar panels are blanketed by clouds and wind turbines sit limp on a still day, electricity gets harder to come by. Who would have thought?
Dispatchable Power: The Adult Supervision We Keep Firing
In their rush to “decarbonize,” many countries — Germany is a standout here — have been shutting down dispatchable power sources. You know, the boring, reliable kinds that can be flipped on or off like a light switch: nuclear, coal, gas. Things that actually work when you need them.
Germany has already axed its nuclear plants (because... vibes?), and despite building more wind turbines than the total number of good ideas the EU had last year, its wind output is down. Why? Because weather.
Enter the Dunkelflaute, that ominous German term for low-wind, low-sun periods. It sounds like the name of a Nordic death metal band. It’s actually the reason Germany’s renewable share dropped from 56% to 47% in Q1 2025, despite building more renewable capacity.
This is what happens when you base your energy future on what amounts to weather forecasting with a side of wishful thinking.
Meanwhile in Germany: Let’s Constitutionally Mandate Unicorns
In a move that combines magical thinking with legislative entrenchment, Germany has decided to enshrine its 2045 net-zero commitment in its constitution. That’s right. They’re now constitutionally bound to a goal that relies on an unproven, intermittency-plagued, weather-dependent energy system.
That’s not policy. That’s a hostage situation written in legalese.
The Greens, naturally, are thrilled. Not only do they get a new lever to sue anyone who suggests reality might be more complicated than a Greenpeace flyer, but they also get to spend another €100 billion (of a €500 billion fund) on… more renewables. Still no money for nuclear, of course. That might actually work too well.
Final Thoughts: Just Because It’s Green Doesn’t Mean It’s Bright
Look, no one is saying we shouldn’t clean up our energy systems. But treating renewables as a panacea while dismantling the very infrastructure that keeps modern life running is a form of ideological malpractice. Spain’s blackout may not have been directly caused by renewables, but it sure does underscore how fragile the grid can be — especially when you swap out stable power for sunshine and hope.
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