Solar eclipse will cause 1.3GW drop in Dutch generation

TenneT is preparing the Dutch electricity system for a solar eclipse on 12 August that could cause solar generation to fall by up to 1.3GW.

TenneT said the expected reduction is equivalent to around 10% of peak electricity demand in the Netherlands and can be managed within normal operational capabilities.

The transmission system operator added that the maximum eclipse in the Netherlands will occur at around 20:10, when an estimated 87% to 89% of the sun will be obscured depending on location.

Solar panels typically generate less electricity in the early evening than during the middle of the day, limiting the expected impact on Dutch solar production.

TenneT is preparing with market participants for the temporary reduction and is also coordinating with other European transmission system operators through ENTSO-E.

The company currently expects the effects in the Netherlands to be manageable but is considering factors that could increase the impact, including clear weather, high temperatures and simultaneous effects elsewhere in Europe.

Installed solar PV capacity in the Netherlands has risen from around 0.5GW in 2015 to almost 30GW today, while European capacity has increased from around 90GW to more than 400GW over the same period.

“A solar eclipse is predictable, but should never be underestimated,” said TenneT policy adviser and eclipse team member Fred van Halm.

“The sun is already lower in the early evening, so the impact on solar energy in the Netherlands is expected to remain limited.”

“An eclipse moves across Europe at around 2,000 kilometres per hour,” said TenneT senior adviser International Affairs and ENTSO-E System Operation Committee member Jan Vorrink.

“In the Netherlands, the eclipse is partial at almost 90 percent, but in other countries the sun temporarily disappears completely behind the moon.”

More information:https://www.renews.biz/solar/solar-eclipse-will-cause-1-3gw-drop-in-dutch-generation/