Western Europe's grid operators went into Wednesday's solar eclipse braced for the drop in photovoltaic output, an increasingly important part of France's mix, Le Monde reports, while Spanish authorities warned eclipse watchers about wildfire risk.
A solar eclipse briefly cuts the sunlight reaching photovoltaic panels, so electricity network operators have to cover the lost generation and then absorb its return within a short window. As solar has grown into a substantial share of western Europe's power mix, such passages have turned into planning exercises for the grid.
Electricity network operators in western Europe prepared for the fall in photovoltaic production during the solar eclipse on Wednesday afternoon, an output that has become increasingly important in France's energy mix, Le Monde reported. In Spain, authorities urged eclipse watchers to be wary of wildfire risks, according to the New York Times.